The EPMA’s European Hard Materials Group will hold its WINTEREV 15 meeting in Oxford, UK, April 9-10. The two day meet is to be hosted by Element Six and will focus on the properties and characterisation of superhard materials and superabrasives.

Superhard materials can generally be described for the most part as composite materials with interpenetrating crystalline phases that have widely differing properties. The performance and reliability of superhard tool components are controlled by the materials internal microstructure over a wide length scale range.

The material classification for superabrasives comprises not only the superhard composite materials polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN), but also diamond and cubic boron nitride in their particulate, ‘grit’ forms. Particulate diamond grit, in sizes ranging from the nanometre to millimetre scale, finds application in such diverse mechanical applications as fine polishing of electronics components and oil drilling. Cubic boron nitride grit serves grinding and polishing applications of ferrous metals

The programme will include presentations on characterisation and properties, developments in mechanical testing, applications and substitutional testing, with an emphasis on wear, fatigue and fracture mechanics.