[J2010-4] The International  Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology (2010) 49:567–578
DOI 10.1007/s00170-009-2413-0

Thermodynamical matching of alumina-based composite
ceramic tools with typical workpiece materials
 Fang Shao,  Zhanqiang Liu and Yi Wan

Abstract: Cutting temperature always highly reaches to over 1,000°C during high speed. Diffusion of tool material element may have important influence on tool wear at such high temperature. The advanced ceramic cutting tools have very good wear resistance, high refractoriness, good mechanical strength, and hot hardness. In this paper, the rules of diffusion wear for alumina-based ceramic cutting tools are proposed and analyzed based on thermodynamics theory. Dissolution concentrations in typical normal workpiece materials of ceramic tool materials at different temperatures are then calculated. Diffusion reaction rules in high temperature are developed and analyzed using Gibbs free energy criterion. The machining tests were conducted using the alumina-based composite ceramic tools at different cutting speeds of 10, 150, and 250 m/min, feed of 0.2 and 0.3, and depth of cut of 1, 2, 2.5, and 5 mm, respectively, on PUMA300LM numerically controlled lathe. It was found that the theoretical results were uniform with the experimental data; the results will provide useful references for tool material design and selection.

Keywords:  Thermodynamics. Alumina-based ceramic tool. Diffusion wear. Matching