Catalytic Chemical Wear of Diamond Tools while Cutting Alloys

该奖项的研究目标是应用量子化学的技术来预测单点金刚石车削不同成分合金所用工具的催化化学磨损率，然后验证这些预测。目前的理论基于原子电子结构成功地预测了元素金属的钻石磨损率，但这些预测并不适用于合金。将根据合金的电子结构，使用一种在金属和合金中形成分子轨道的原子轨道线性组合的方法，生成用于预测切割合金时钻石磨损的指标。一系列合金的磨损率将使用一种新的干涉测量技术来确定，并与新的度量标准进行比较。化学反应速率取决于局部温度，而局部温度取决于材料特性和刀具刃口条件(磨损)。将使用一种新的高温方法测量切割温度，并使用测功机测量切削力。这些数据将被用来使磨损率正常化。如果成功，这项工作将为快速崛起的技术提供一种选择最佳合金成分的方法，例如用于大批量光电产品的卷到卷生产复合薄膜或下一代光学模具。将不再需要对每种合金成分进行目前昂贵且耗时的工具磨损测试。此外，研究结果还将激发研究界不同领域的新思维。所提出的实验技术将在精密机械加工的其他研究领域中发挥作用。人们对合金中催化活性的想法发生了革命性的变化，这可能会影响从钻石合成到煤气化等各个领域。它还建议开发性能优化的结构和催化行为的合金。

The research objective of this award is to apply techniques from quantum chemistry to predict the catalyzed chemical wear rate of tools used in single point diamond turning of alloys with varying composition, and then to validate those predictions. Current theory successfully predicts diamond wear rates for elemental metals, based on atomic electronic structures, but the predictions do not apply to alloys. A metric for predicting diamond wear when cutting alloys will be generated based on the electronic structure of alloys, using a method with linear combinations of atomic orbitals to form molecular orbitals in metals and alloys. Wear rates for a range of alloys will be determined using a novel interferometric technique and compared with the new metric. Chemical reaction rates depend on local temperature, which depends on material properties and tool edge condition (wear). Cutting temperatures will be measured using a novel pyrometric method and cutting forces will be measured using a dynamometer. These data will be used to normalize wear rates.If successful, this work will provide a method of selecting optimum alloy compositions for such rapidly emerging technologies as roll-to-roll production of complex films or next generation optical molds for high volume optoelectronic products. The currently expensive, and time consuming, testing of tool wear for every alloy composition will be eliminated. In addition, the results will stimulate new thinking across diverse parts of the research community. The proposed experimental techniques will be useful in other areas of precision machining research. The transformative change in thinking about catalytic activity in alloys may impact areas ranging from diamond synthesis to coal gasification. It also suggests developing alloys with properties optimized for structural as well as catalytic behaviors.