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

这项研究计划是与肯纳金属公司合作进行的，拉特罗布，宾夕法尼亚州，旨在推进纳米陶瓷复合材料的基本理解，在磨料和切削工具材料的潜在用途。陶瓷共晶表面层将通过激光固化沉积到商业切割工具上，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，这导致良好取向的纳米级共晶微结构，其小于通过常规工艺可实现的微结构。 这种所得的纳米级微结构预计会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：分别用于Al 2 O3和WC基刀具表面改性的氧化物和碳化物。通过定量的微观结构和力学性能表征，将确定这些类别的陶瓷共晶的主要变形机制和微观结构标度律。该研究计划预计将导致一种新的方法，提高高性能切削刀具的机械性能和寿命。与Kennametal Inc.的直接互动将增加这些方法被迅速采用并纳入商业过程的可能性。此外，该研究计划将培养学生，研究生和本科生，在一个独特的学术/工业研究环境，并准备他们进入和领导激光加工和摩擦表面涂层的不断增长的领域。

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.