Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties Company

Michael V Mucci

Richard M Olson

Gary L Holmes

Robert V Heiti

Jon R Pieper

Scott R Culler

Abrasive slurries, abrasive articles made from the abrasive slurries, and methods for the production of the abrasive articles are disclosed. The abrasive slurries and abrasive articles made therefrom comprise at least two grades of abrasive particles (i.e., a first larger grade, and a second smaller grade). The abrasive grades have a median particle size ratio of about 2, where the median particle size ratio equals the median particle size of the larger grade of abrasive particles divided by the median particle size of any smaller grade of abrasive particles.

Abrasive slurries and abrasive articles comprising multiple abrasive

A process for polishing a workpiece. The process comprises the steps of:

Method of providing a smooth surface on a substrate

A coated abrasive article comprising a backing bearing on at least one major surface thereof abrasive composites comprising a plurality of abrasive grains dispersed in a binder. The binder serves as a medium for dispersing abrasive grains, and it may also bond the abrasive composites to the backing. The abrasive composites have a predetermined shape, e.g., pyramidal. The dimensions of a given shape can be made substantially uniform. Furthermore, the composites are disposed in a predetermined array. The predetermined array can exhibit some degree of repetitiveness. The repeating pattern of a predetermined array can be in linear form or in the form of a matrix. The coated abrasive article can be prepared by a method comprising the steps of: (1) introducing a slurry containing a mixture of a binder and a plurality of abrasive grains onto a production tool; (2) introducing a backing to the outer surface of the production tool such that the slurry wets one major surface of the backing to form an intermediate article; (3) at least partially curing or gelling the binder before the intermediate article departs from the outer surface of the production tool to form a coated abrasive article; and (4) removing said coated abrasive article from the production tool.

Structured abrasive article

A method of treating a workpiece by an abrasive article, the surface of which has a specified pattern. The abrasive article comprises a backing having at least one abrasive composite bonded thereto. The abrasive composite or composites comprise a plurality of abrasive grains dispersed in a binder. The abrasive composite or composites have a predetermined shape and are disposed in a predetermined array, which typically consists of a plurality of peaks and valleys. As a result of the method of this invention, the surface of the workpiece can be provided with a profile that is similar to or substantially identical to the inverse of the pattern of the abrasive article.

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Hudson, WI, United States of America

Michael V Mucci