Characteristics of Abrasives

All abrasive powders are produced to remove materials, and when selecting one for a particular application, you need to think about the characteristics specifically required.

There are numerous factors that considerably influence the behavior of abrasive material, including size, shape, hardness and self-sharpening ability of the particles. Hardness is determined by values of the Mohs, Vickers, or Knoop scales which will identify which material can scratch another when measured.

The abrasive has to be harder than the material being worked upon. Diamond is considered the hardest material and has a value of 10, which is the maximum value on Mohs scale of hardness. On this scale, a majority of minerals are rated seven or higher.

When abrasives are being utilized for grinding wheels, the self-sharpening element is key.