Sapphire Polishing with Aluminum Oxide: How Does the Hardness of the Polishing Powder Compare?
1) Diamond is used solely for traditional mechanical polishing. Sapphire polishing utilizes alumina, which has a higher hardness (Mohs 10) than sapphire (Mohs 9), making it prone to scratching. This results in significant surface damage to sapphire and a low yield of finished products.
2) Aluminum Oxide (VK-L30F) is an ideal polishing material due to its hardness comparable to sapphire, spherical particle shape, high polishing speed, scratch resistance, and high yield rate.
3) SiO2 has a lower hardness (Mohs hardness 7.5) than sapphire and is much slower in polishing speed compared to alumina polishing powder, making the polishing process time-consuming.
