Natural Diamond Powder
Overview
Natural Diamond Powder
What This Product Is
Natural diamond powder is loose, dry mined monocrystalline diamond, graded by micron and supplied by the carat. Natural diamond crystals are typically tough and blocky, and some procedures prefer them for particular finishes and cutting longevity. As a dry abrasive it is charged to cloths and laps or mixed into custom suspensions and pastes.
Intended Use in Metallography
Used for intermediate and fine polishing and lapping, it is selected when:
- A procedure specifies natural diamond
- A tough, blocky crystal is preferred for the material
- A lab charges or mixes its own diamond at a chosen concentration
Typical Applications
Commonly used for:
- General and specialty metals and alloys
- Applications where natural diamond is the established abrasive
- Charging cloths and laps; custom suspensions and pastes
- Lapping with coarser grades
Beyond metallography, natural diamond powder is also used in:
- Petrography of hard minerals
- Ceramics, glass, and optics
- Tool, die, and mold finishing
When This Product Is NOT Ideal
- When synthetic monocrystalline or polycrystalline diamond is specified or more economical
- When a ready-to-use form is more convenient
Where This Fits in the Preparation Process
- After grinding, charged to a cloth or lap for polishing
- Coarser grades can serve lapping operations
Specifications
| Abrasive type | Natural monocrystalline diamond |
| Form | Dry loose powder (charge, mix, or lap) |
| Options | Multiple micron sizes; sold by carats per bottle — see product options |
| Application | Metallographic polishing and lapping |
| Micron Size | 1/10 micron, 1/8 micron, 1/4 micron, 1/2 micron, 1 micron, 3 micron, 6 micron, 9 micron, 15 micron, 30 micron, 45 micron, 70 micron |
| Carats Per Bottle | 25, 50, 75, 100 |
| Custom sizing | Custom sizes and concentrations are made to spec if what you need is not listed |
| Compatibility | Buehler, Struers, LECO, Allied, and PACE — and all other major brands. |
Compatibility and Equivalents
Metallographic diamond powder for the same polishing steps served by the diamond powders from Buehler, Struers, and Allied High Tech. Compatible with all major systems (Buehler, Struers, LECO, Allied, PACE). It is a comparable product for the same step — not a branded or drop-in item.
Same grading and micron sizing, typically 20 to 40 percent lower in price.
Request a free sample and test it on your own bench.
Named brand products are referenced only to identify the comparable item and prep step. We do not claim our product is identical to, or a replacement for, any trademarked product, and no affiliation or endorsement is implied.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between natural and synthetic diamond powder?
Natural diamond is mined; synthetic is manufactured. Natural crystals are typically tough and blocky and are preferred by some procedures; synthetic monocrystalline offers very consistent, sharp-cutting particles and is often more economical.
When would I choose natural diamond powder?
When a procedure specifies it, or when a lab prefers natural diamond's cutting characteristics for a given material or finish.
How is diamond powder sold?
By the carat, in graded micron sizes. You charge it onto cloths or laps, or mix it into a suspension or paste at your chosen concentration.
Can natural diamond powder be used outside metallography?
Yes. It polishes and laps hard materials across petrography, ceramics, glass and optics, and tool and die finishing. Some labs prefer natural diamond's tough, blocky crystals for particular materials.