The core driving force behind powder synthesis technology replacing traditional slice synthesis technology lies in its comprehensive superiority in conversion efficiency, resource conservation, production cost, and product quality:
Significantly Increased Diamond Yield and Quality Grade (High Conversion Efficiency)Traditional slice synthesis was limited by the contact interface between catalyst sheets and graphite sheets, resulting in low conversion rates and high production costs. In powder synthesis, the catalyst alloy powder and graphite powder are mixed uniformly, vastly increasing the microscopic contact area. This greatly enhances catalytic efficiency, resulting in a dramatic increase in both yield per unit volume and quality grade of the synthetic diamonds.
Substantial Savings in Strategic Metals and Raw Material Consumption Savings in Nickel Resources: Compared with slice synthesis, the powder method saves up to two-thirds of metallic nickel usage, drastically reducing the consumption of strategic materials. If adopted industry-wide, catalyst consumption could drop from ~3,000 tons in the slice era to ~1,200 tons.Reduced Graphite Loss: Graphite raw material loss is reduced by over 20%.
Driving Industrial Upgrading and International CompetitivenessHigh-grade synthetic diamonds produced via the powder method elevated the overall manufacturing standard of diamond tools in China, which not only replaced imported products but also achieved large-scale exports to generate foreign exchange.
Key Technological Breakthroughs Lowered Application CostsInitially, powder technology relied on imported catalyst powders (~180,000 RMB/ton) and imported graphite powders (>200,000 RMB/ton), keeping costs high. Domestic breakthroughs in water-atomized catalyst preparation, vacuum deoxidation/reduction treatment for synthesis columns, and the localization of high-purity graphite powder significantly lowered material and process costs, establishing a solid foundation for large-scale industrial substitution.