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

该研究项目是与肯纳金属公司（Kennametal, Inc., Latrobe， PA）合作进行的，旨在推进对纳米级陶瓷复合材料在磨料和切削工具材料中的潜在应用的基本理解。陶瓷共晶表面层将通过激光凝固沉积到商用刀具上，这是一种商业上可扩展的技术。此外，激光加工允许高加工速度，从而导致定向良好的纳米级共晶微结构，比传统工艺所能达到的更小。由此产生的纳米级微观结构有望导致显著的性能增强（例如硬度，强度和磨损）。该研究将开发两类共晶材料：氧化物和碳化物，分别用于Al2O3和wc基刀具的表面改性。通过定量的微观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结垢规律。该研究计划预计将导致提高高性能切削刀具的机械性能和寿命的新方法。与肯纳金属公司的直接互动将增加快速采用这些方法并将其集成到商业流程中的可能性。此外，该研究项目将在一个独特的学术/工业研究环境中培养研究生和本科生，并为他们进入和领导激光加工和摩擦学表面涂层的不断发展的领域做好准备。

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.