GOALI: Laser Surface Processing of Ceramic Eutectics for Enhanced Cutting Tool Performance

该研究计划与宾夕法尼亚州拉特罗布的Kennamtal公司合作，旨在促进对纳米级陶瓷复合材料在磨料和刀具材料中潜在用途的基本了解。陶瓷共晶表层将通过激光固化沉积到商用刀具上，这是一种可商业扩展的技术。此外，激光加工允许较高的加工速度，从而获得定向良好的纳米级共晶微结构，比传统工艺所能实现的组织要小。由此产生的纳米级微结构有望导致显著的性能增强(例如，在硬度、强度和磨损方面)。这项研究将开发两类共晶化合物：氧化物和碳化物，分别用于Al_2O_3和WC基刀具的表面改性。通过定量的显微组织和力学性能表征，将确定这类陶瓷共晶的主要变形机制和微观组织尺度规律。研究计划有望为提高高性能刀具的力学性能和寿命提供一种新的方法。与Kennamtal Inc.的直接互动将增加这些方法迅速被采用并整合到商业流程中的可能性。此外，该研究计划将在独特的学术/工业研究环境中培训研究生和本科生，并为他们进入和领导日益增长的激光加工和摩擦学表面涂层领域做好准备。

The research program, which is in collaboration with Kennametal, Inc., Latrobe, PA, aims to advance the fundamental understanding of nanoscale ceramic composites for potential use in abrasive and cutting tool materials. Ceramic eutectic surface layers will be deposited onto commercial cutting tools via laser solidification, which is a commercially scalable technique. Moreover, the laser processing allows for high processing velocities that lead to well-oriented, nanoscale eutectic microstructures, smaller than that achievable by conventional processes. This resulting nanoscale microstructures are expected to lead to marked property enhancements (e.g. in hardness, strength and wear). The research will develop two classes of eutectics: oxides and carbides for the surface modification of Al2O3- and WC-based cutting tools, respectively. Through quantitative microstructural and mechanical property characterization, the dominant deformation mechanisms and microstructural scaling laws for these classes of ceramic eutectics will be determined.The research program is anticipated to lead to a new method for enhancing the mechanical properties and lifetimes of high-performance cutting tools. The direct interactions with Kennametal Inc. will increase the likelihood that the methods can be quickly adopted and integrated into a commercial process. In addition, the research program will train students, both graduate and undergraduate, in a unique academic/industrial research setting and prepare them to enter and lead the growing fields of laser processing and tribological surface coatings.