Belarusian scientists have created a new polycrystalline superhard material – K17, head of the laboratory of synthesis of superhard materials of the institute of physics of solids and semi-conductors of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Nikolai Shishonok informed. According to the specialist, K17 was developed on the basis of a unique multifunctional compound – cubic boron nitride.

The new material can be used for laser treatment of different sorts of steel and cast iron in the mechanical engineering and instrument-making industry. On exposure characteristics K17 is as good as other existing foreign analogs and costs five times less, Nikolai Shishonok underlined.

The scientists have been working on the K17 development for two years. Its production has been launched on the basis of the institute of solid physics and semiconductors. The new material is supposed to interest several republican enterprises. For example, JSC Minsk bearing plant, Lida “Optic” plant, Minsk computer engineering production branch.