Comment CPU Cooling: Diamond Dust is for Lapping Surfaces (Score 1) 210
The diamond dust is used to "lap" the contact surfaces
of the CPU and cooler/heatsing to achieve better contact.
The best heat transfer would perfect metal-to-metal contact.
A good machinist ar lens maker could achieve this by lapping
the surfaces on an optical flat...90% contact would be good enough.
The lens maker would use diamond dust...the machinist would use
less expensive lapping conpounds. I use extra fine water sandpaper
on a formica table top.