E.
MCCLARENCE
THE ABRASIVE HUB: ARTICLE, PDF
WHY
 SMALL
  !
 and
DIAMOND
 IS
 A
  into new modern
BLAST
  busy testing its
Nanotechnology has been
hailed as a promising
technology that has the
potential to transform all
aspects of our lives. For a
young company,
Nanodiamond Products Ltd
the hope is to raise the
profile of diamond within
the nano-world and open
up new markets in
targeted sectors mainly in
the manufacturing sector.
The company has been set
up to exploit the
application potential of
nanodiamond suspensions
and concentrates for
polishing, wear resistance
According
enhancement to Chief
and
biomedical.
Executive Officer, Derek
Wright the company’s
products have already
 shown potential in used for chemical
polishing and lapping
applications and an
additive for wear resistant
metal coatings such as
electrolytic and electroless
nickel and chromium.
2010-06-14
The company moved
Products
Applications
premises in Shannon in
late 2009 and is now The company already
has a range of
products customer polycrystalline diamond
applications as it scales products in both
up production. The nanometre and micon
sizes. Dependant on the
team has identified
three initial market diamond type and
sectors where application, these are
nanotechnology has available as either
clear applications. suspensions, slurries,
These are for chemical concentrates, or pastes.
mechanical polishing Polycrystalline
applications where high Nanodiamond and
surface finishes and polycrystalline micron
low defect density on are produced by a
components are detonation process.
required. The second Typically nanodiamond
area is as an additive has a surface area of
in electroplating 260m2 per gram.
processes and
polymers for enhanced
wear resistant surfaces
and the third potential
area is in medical
applications such as
Fig.1: Wear parts are seen
drug delivery. as a major application area
For polishing, the
company says that its
polishing concentrates
have been successfully
mechanical polishing of
sapphire, and silicon
carbide wafers.
Nanodiamond can be used
in any application where
superb finishes are need
 E. MCCLARENCE 2010-06-14

such as optics polishing However, significant lower friction and a finer

for telescopes, laser
windows,beam
splitters,prisms sapphire
windows and LED
substrates. In this
application nanodiamond
has the ability to improve
the surface integrity of the
polished surface by
removing sub-surface
damage cracks and
microcracks.
Surface finishes of < 4
angstroms can be
achieved.
  wear resistance ,
increases in polishing
rates leading to a
reduction in production
process time is the most
critical factor.
In relation to electrolytic
and electroless plating
applications, the company
believes that
nanodiamond can be used
with very little
modification to the
process and give a wear
coating that has improved
addition of nanodiamond.
structure. The company
says that the addition of
only 1 g of nanodiamond
(75 nm average size) per
litre of electrolyte can
more than double the
microhardness. The kinds
of products where this
improved coating would
be beneficial include
sliding bearings,
aerospace components;
indeed any precision
component could, in
theory, benefit from the

The  Management  
at Element Six with like
  Derek Wright,came
Team   responsibility for diamond from Element Six and his
The driving forces of the experience in the last few
and CBN sales world-wide
company are Derek years has been in micron
where his interest in
Wright as CEO, Ron and nanodiamond. The
nanodiamond was first
Abramshe as Chief management team has
kindled. Ron Abramshe
Technical Officer and Karl also secured key funding
has considerable expertise
Tuffy as executive director for the business from
in micron and submicron
–development Derek Enterprise Ireland, a
particle research and
Wright’s experience government department
production and is an
comes from the diamond with the remit to invest in
authority on ultra-
industry. Prior to setting promising new businesses
detonated diamond. Karl
up Nanodiamond and technologies.
Tuffy who is director of
Products, Derek Wright
was an executive director
business development,    
 

Fig.  2:  Nanodiamond  

Products  Ltd,  Beechpark  
House,  Shannon,  Ireland