An Analysis to Grinding Wheel Substrate

Grinding wheels are usually regarded as substrate. Then what is substrate? It is a combination of abrasives and bonding agents, it is a dominate element of coated abrasives performance. Therefore, some basic properties must be guaranteed to ensure grinding wheels' quality.

1. Substrate has a strong bonding force for bonding agents.

On the one hand, substrate serves as the carrier to bind tightly. On the other hand, tight bonding force depends on two factors. One is the property of bonding agents, the other is surface active performance of substrate, such as types of fiber, fabric weave, and density.

2. The substrate should possess certain intensity and smaller ductility. While the substrate is applied, it shall withstand tensile load, stress alternation, rotting cutting load, expansive load, etc. Ductility is an important property of substrate. Over ductility will result in falling off of abrasives, and the grinding force is lost. For abrasive sanding belts, if they are stretched too long and is beyond the adjustable extent of grinding machines, the abrasive sanding belts cannot be used anymore.

Generally speaking, there are five backing types of coated abrasives products:

1. Paper backing (substrate) is made by strong and tensile vegetable fiber or chemical fiber. It is inexpensive and has small intensity.
2. Cloth backing (substrate) is made of cotton, sisal, and synthetic fiber. It has a good limpness, high intensity, and good ductility.
3. Fiber backing (substrate) is made of strong multi-layer. It has a strong tensile strength, flat surface, and good heat resistance.
4. Composite substrate is made of cloth and paper. General types of composite substrate include fiber glass mesh interleaved by paper. Composite substrate has the advantages of both paper backing and cloth backing, it has a good tensile strength and small ductility.
5. Non-woven substrate is a kind of fiber mesh blended by natural fiber and synthetic fiber to form wide rolls.