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

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目将开发一种新的陶瓷材料——钇铝石榴石（YAG），用于加工钛（Ti）合金的刀具。第一阶段发现在YAG上制造刀具是可行的，用碳化硅（SiC）晶须和TiC增强。第二阶段将进一步探索yag基复合材料作为钛合金切削工具的使用，通过：1)优化成分和制造参数，获得具有均匀分散的增强相的全致密复合材料；2)评价优化后的复合材料在钛合金加工中的性能；3)通过对yag基复合材料刀具在加工前后进行详细的显微组织表征，确定磨损和失效机理。潜在的商业应用有望在钛合金加工操作在飞机和航空航天工业。

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.