Cubic boron nitride particle population with highly etched particle surface and high toughness index

摘要

A population of cubic boron nitride particles with highly etched surfaces and a high toughness index is produced by blending a reactive metal powder with a plurality of cubic boron nitride particles to form a blended mixture. The blended mixture is compressed to form a compressed mixture. Temperature and pressure are applied to the compressed mixture, where the temperature is adjusted to etch a plurality of cubic boron nitride particles by reaction of cubic boron nitride and reactive metal powder to form a plurality of etched cubic boron nitride particles. In addition, the temperature and pressure are controlled so that the boron nitride is maintained in the cubic boron nitride. Thereafter, a plurality of etched cubic boron nitride particles are recovered from the compressed mixture to form a particle population. Preferably, the particle population does not contain hexagonal boron nitride.