Environment-Sensitive Hardness and Machinability of Alumina

Abstract

The influences of water, toluene and the n-alcohols on the pendulum hardness of alumina monocrystals, and on the ease of drilling mono- and polycrystalline alumina, have been studied. It has been found that the adsorption-induced increases in pendulum hardness produced by certain alcohol environments can result in rates of drilling with diamond-studded core bits which are up to ten times greater than those measured in tests under water. A correlation between pendulum hardness, machinability and surface charge (the latter as indicated by zeta-potential measurements) has been established. This is that alumina is hardest and most effectively drilled with a diamond core bit at its zero point of charge. The possibility of making use of this correlation to develop more cost effective and ecologically viable cutting fluids for the machining of aluminia is discussed.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1972
Accession Number
AD0753276

Entities

People

  • Albert R. Westwood
  • Norman H. Macmillan
  • Rustu S. Kalyoncu

Organizations

  • Martin Marietta

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Adsorption
  • Alcohols
  • Aluminum Oxides
  • Charge Carriers
  • Crystals
  • Cutting Fluids
  • Dissipation Factor
  • Drilling
  • Hydroxides
  • Insensitive Explosives
  • Materials
  • Methanols
  • Organic Compounds
  • Point Defects
  • Sodium Hydroxide
  • Surface Energy
  • Surface Finishing

Readers

  • Manufacturing Engineering.
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Surface Coatings Technology.