The use of abrasives dates back to antiquity; for instance, plows from my country's Yangshao Culture period already demonstrated an application of the principles of abrasive wear. In 1798, a specialized committee was established in the UK to investigate the wear of gold coins, marking the inception of large-scale research into abrasive wear.
During the 1950s and 1960s, Archard in the UK and Rabinowicz in the US proposed simplified theoretical models for abrasive wear.
Regarding the development of artificial abrasives, early applications relied on natural abrasives, which were subsequently supplanted by the gradual development of artificial corundum. In 1981, the US-based 3M Company introduced its "Cubitron" ceramic corundum abrasive. Subsequently, the Norton Company developed its SG abrasive series.
Zirconia-based abrasive products have also undergone continuous improvement, exemplified by the "New Blue" series from Norton | Saint-Gobain Abrasives.
In the context of China's abrasives and grinding tools industry, the Zhengzhou Research Institute for Abrasives and Grinding (known as the "Three Grinding Institute") was established in 1958. In 1963, China's first artificial diamond was successfully synthesized in Zhengzhou and subsequently brought into industrial-scale production.
In terms of theoretical literature on abrasive wear, the volume *Abrasive Wear*-published by Science Press-systematically expounds upon the mechanics of wear, abrasive characterization, and the principles of two-body and three-body wear, among other topics.
