A transmission electron microscope study of a cubic boron nitride-based compact material with AIN and AIB2 binder phases

The microstructure of a commercial cubic boron nitride compact, with aluminium nitride and aluminium diboride binder phases, has been characterized by transmission electron micro-scopy. Within individual grains significant plastic deformation is observed in the form of dis-locations and microtvvin lamellae. There is no evidence of recrystallization. Grains have been forced into direct contact, but there is no evidence of new growth of cubic boron nitride between the grains. Some grains have obviously broken or shattered during manufacture. Aluminium nitride is present mostly as an oriented rind around the cubic boron nitride grains where they are not in direct contact, while aluminium diboride forms a largely continuous network in the channels between them. Our observations suggest that the two aluminium compounds are responsible for most of the bonding in the compact. The orientation relation-ships between the cubic boron nitride and As aluminium nitride rind are, on (1 1 1) facets of BN, BN(1 1 1) AIN(0 0 0 1) and BN[1 1 0] AIN[1 1 – 0], and on (0 0 1) facets of BN, BN(0 0 1) AIN(0 0 0 1) and BN[1 1 0] AIN[l 1 ¨ 0]. The aluminium diboride is mostly unoriented. The results are discussed in the context of previous work on diamond-based compact materials.