SBIR Phase II: Ceramic Cutting Tool for Titanium-Alloy Machining

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)二期项目将开发一种新的陶瓷材料--Y-Al石榴石(YAG)，用于加工钛(钛)合金的刀具。在第一阶段中，我们发现在以碳化硅晶须和TiC为增强材料的YAG基础上制作刀具是可行的。第二阶段将通过以下几个方面进一步探索将YAG基复合材料用作钛合金的刀具：1)优化成分和制备参数，以获得完全致密的增强相均匀分布的复合材料；2)相对于最先进的钛合金加工材料，评估优化后的复合材料；以及3)通过加工试验前后YAG基复合材料刀具的详细微观结构表征，确定磨损和失效机理。潜在的商业应用有望在航空航天工业的钛合金加工中应用。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a new ceramic material, yttrium-aluminum garnet (YAG), for cutting tools used in the machining of titanium (Ti) alloys. Phase I found it feasible to base a cutting tool on YAG, reinforced with silicon carbide (SiC) whiskers and TiC. Phase II will further explore the use of YAG-based composites as a cutting tool for Ti alloys through: 1) optimization of compositions and fabrication parameters to obtain a fully dense composite with uniformly dispersed reinforcement phases; 2) evaluate the optimized composite relative to state-of-the-art materials in machining Ti alloys; and 3) identify wear and failure mechanisms by detailed microstructural characterization of YAG-based composite cutting tools, before and after machining tests.Potential commercial applications are expected in titanium-alloy machining operations in the aircraft and aerospace industries.