Abrasive Elements with Precisely Shaped Features, Abrasive Articles Fabricated Therefrom and Methods of Making Thereof

Abstract

An abrasive element includes a first major surface and a second major surface. At least the first major surface includes a plurality of precisely shaped features. The abrasive element includes at least about 99% of carbide ceramic by weight and has a porosity of less than about 5%.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An abrasive element comprising:
 a first major surface; and   a second major surface;   wherein at least the first major surface comprises a plurality of precisely shaped features; and   wherein the abrasive element comprises at least about 99% of carbide ceramic by weight and has a porosity of less than about 5%.   
     
     
         2 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein the carbide ceramic is silicon carbide, boron carbide, zirconium carbide, titanium carbide, tungsten carbide or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein the porosity is less than about 3%. 
     
     
         4 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein a mean grain size of the carbide ceramic is less than about 20 microns. 
     
     
         5 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein the mean grain size is less than about 5 microns and the porosity is less than about 3%. 
     
     
         6 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive element is substantially free of oxide sintering aides. 
     
     
         7 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of precisely shaped features have a length, along at least one base edge, of from about 1 micron to about 2,000 microns and an areal density of from about 1 feature/mm 2  to about 1,000 features/mm 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of precisely shaped features have a coating. 
     
     
         9 . The abrasive element of  claim 8 , wherein the coating is conformal. 
     
     
         10 . The abrasive element of  claim 8 , wherein the coating includes chemical vapor deposited or physical vapor deposited diamond, doped diamond, silicon carbide, cubic boron nitride, fluorochemical coatings, hydrophobic or hydrophilic coatings, surface modifying coatings, anticorrosion coatings, polymeric coatings, diamond like carbon, diamond like glass, tungsten carbide, silicon nitride, titanium nitride, particle coatings, polycrystalline diamond, microcrystalline diamond, nanocrystalline diamond and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive element has a percentage of defective features of less than about 5% of the total number of precisely shaped features. 
     
     
         12 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein a group of precisely shaped features, having a maximum design feature height of D 0 , have a non-planarity of less than about 20% of the feature height. 
     
     
         13 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein the precisely shaped features have a non-uniformity of about 20% of the feature height. 
     
     
         14 . The abrasive element of  claim 1 , wherein the 99% carbide ceramic by weight is at least about 90% silicon carbide by weight. 
     
     
         15 . An abrasive article comprising:
 a first abrasive element comprising first and second major surfaces;   wherein at least the first major surface comprises a plurality of precisely shaped features; and   wherein the first abrasive element comprises at least about 99% of carbide ceramic by weight and has a porosity of less than about 5%.   
     
     
         16 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , further comprising a resilient element having first and second major surfaces. 
     
     
         17 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , further comprising a fastening element. 
     
     
         18 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , further comprising a carrier. 
     
     
         19 . The abrasive article of  claim 16 , wherein the resilient element is selected from the group consisting of: a foam, a gel, a polymer, a spring and a flexible washer. 
     
     
         20 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , further comprising a second abrasive element, wherein a collective group of features on the first and second abrasive elements have a common maximum design feature height of D 0  and a non-coplanarity of less than about 20% of the feature height. 
     
     
         21 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , wherein the abrasive article is a pad conditioner. 
     
     
         22 . The abrasive article of  claim 15 , further comprising a cleaning element. 
     
     
         23 . The abrasive article of  claim 21 , wherein the abrasive article is a double sided pad conditioner. 
     
     
         24 . A method of making an abrasive article comprising:
 providing a first abrasive element and a second abrasive element, each abrasive element comprising first and second major surfaces, wherein at least the first major surfaces comprise a plurality of precisely shaped features and wherein the abrasive elements comprise at least about 99% carbide ceramic by weight and have a porosity of less than about 5%;   placing the first major surfaces of the abrasive elements in contact with an alignment plate;   providing a resilient element having first and second major surfaces;   affixing the first major surface of the resilient element to the second major surfaces of the abrasive elements;   providing a fastening element; and   affixing the second major surface of the resilient element to a carrier through the fastening element.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a collective group of precisely shaped features having a common maximum design feature height of D 0 , have a non-coplanarity of less than about 20% of the feature height. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the fastening element is the resilient element. 
     
     
         27 . An abrasive article comprising:
 a first abrasive element comprising first and second major surfaces;   wherein at least the first major surface comprises a plurality of precisely shaped features having a diamond coating; and   wherein the first abrasive element comprises at least about 99% of carbide ceramic by weight and has a porosity of less than about 5%.   
     
     
         28 . The abrasive article of  claim 27 , wherein the coating is selected from one of diamond, doped diamond, diamond like carbon, diamond like glass, polycrystalline diamond, microcrystalline diamond, nanocrystalline diamond and combinations thereof.