Cubic Boron Nitride (cbn) is the second hardest material known to man, surpassed only by diamond. It is used in cutting and grinding applications for ferrous metals as a replacement for diamond due to its superior thermal stability and resistance to chemical attack, which make it ideal for lapping hard materials that carbonize when used with diamond abrasives.

Unlike conventional carbide, cbn maintains its hardness to temperatures of over 1,200 degC, making it well suited for high-temperature machining and grinding applications. It also exhibits good chemical resistance, and its low affinity with oxygen means that it can be used with water-based coolants which are prone to destroying diamond abrasives.

Hyperion carries a wide variety of cbn sizes, grades and textures from various manufacturers. Please speak with your salesperson for assistance in selecting the cbn best suited to your application.

Wide bandgap semiconductor cbn is a promising material for high power microwave and next generation power electronics. However, to date the electronic, structural and optical characterization of commercial cBN crystal platelets has been limited. Here we report RC series zero phonon line defect emission peaks observed in electron beam irradiated and oxygen ion implanted cBN crystals at room temperature. This unique combination of highest thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity and a predicted breakdown field makes cBN attractive for future quantum sensing applications.