Academic literature on the topic 'Brittle Metallic Glasses'

Zirconium base metallic glasses [Zr0.73(Cu0.59Ni0.41)0.27]87Al13 was fabricated by industrial zirconium with low purity and high purity zirconium according to different quality ratios in order to study the effect of raw material purity on the structure and properties of metallic glasses. The results showed that the complete metallic glasses was failed to be fabricate with low purity zirconium. And the compression process was typical brittle fracture with low compressive strength and without plastic strain. The glasses forming ability of low purity zirconium metallic glass with different purity was significantly improved after the addition of yttrium element. The compression experiments showed that the compressive strength and plasticity of metallic glasses were improved, and the microhardness was also increased. It indicates that yttrium element can eliminate the adverse effect of impurity in low purity zirconium on the glasses forming ability of the alloy and improve the structural properties of the metallic glasses.

Mechanical treatments such as deep rolling are known to affect the strength and toughness of metallic glass due to the residual stress. It is well known that compressive residual stress states usually enhance the mechanical properties in conventional metallic materials. We present investigations on the change of fracture behavior related with mechanical properties of “brittle” bulk metallic glass by cold rolling at room temperature. Improvement of the intrinsic plasticity is observed not only after constrained cyclic compression but also after cold rolling. Moreover, neither nanocrystallization nor phase separation occurs during deformation. By these findings we provide a unique fundamental basis by considering the introduction of structural inhomogeneity and ductility improvement in metallic glasses. The experimental evidence clearly supports that such an inhomogeneous glassy can be produced by residual stress in well known “brittle” bulk metallic glasses, and does not depend on a specific pinpointed chemical composition.

We report that bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) with large plasticity can be obtained in conventional brittle BMGs by a shrink-fit metal sleeve. The mechanical performance especially the plasticity in the Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 BMG with a shrink-fit copper sleeve is much enhanced. The approach results in the formation of the highly dense and frequent interacting and arresting events of shear bands and is the origin of the observed large global plasticity. The results present another simple step toward toughening the inherently brittle BMGs.

Nanostructured materials and bulk metallic glasses are relatively new classes of engineering materials that have promise for unique metals applications. However, both these materials suffer from limited room temperature ductility in unconfined loading geometries. In this work, we present three experimental rules that we have observed to be necessary to toughen bulk metallic glasses. We reason that adaptations to these rules may provide the solution for toughening nanostructured composites and other brittle materials.

ABSTRACTFracture of materials at the microscopic level involves a characteristic length related to microstructure. However, a clear structure-property relationship is still absent in metallic glasses. Therefore, a physics-based expression is derived for the characteristic length (relevant to brittle fracture) in metallic glasses (MGs) in order to link the microscopic material features controlling the fracture process to the macroscopic material parameters. The derived characteristic length is associated to micro/nano structural fracture patterns, critical crack tip opening displacement as well as fracture toughness. Characteristic lengths of various metallic glasses are determined using the proposed expression and compared to the experimental results. Theoretical results are in very good agreement with the experimental results of various metallic glasses. Furthermore, the contribution of characteristic length as well as macroscopic material parameters such as Poisson’s ratio, yield strength, and Young’s modulus on fracture toughness (and fracture energy) is investigated and compared to the experimental results.

Metallic glasses (MGs), which are metals solidified in an amorphous state, have shown attractive mechanical properties such as high strength (up to 5 GPa), yield strain (around 2%) and good corrosion resistance. They exhibit heterogeneous plastic flow by formation of shear bands (SBs) at temperatures well below the glass transition temperature. However, they can be very brittle with KIc ∼ 1 - 15 MPa √ m or very tough (KIc ∼ 80 MPa √ m). Experiments and MD simulations suggest that failure in the brittle MGs occurs by cavitation with little shear banding and can be traced to nanoscale fluctuations in atomic density. Also, notwithstanding their high KIc, MG samples lack tensile ductility and fail catastrophically by crack propagation in a dominant SB. However, nano-sized MG samples and a novel architecture called as nanoglass (NG) composed of nano-grains of MGs separated by fine free volume rich interfaces do exhibit tensile ductility. Relatively few continuum simulations have been undertaken to understand the deformation and fracture behavior of MGs and NGs from a mechanics standpoint. Therefore, continuum finite element analysis of cavitation and cavitation induced fracture in brittle MGs are performed in this work. In addition, tensile deformation behavior of nano-scale notched MG and NG samples are analyzed. Brittle MGs are modeled as heterogeneous elastic-plastic solid containing doubly periodic distribution of weak zones with lower yield strength. The presence of the weak zones mimics the density/strength fluctuation in brittle MGs as observed in experiments and atomistic simulations. Finite element simulations are performed by subjecting a square unit cell containing a circular weak zone to different (biaxiality) stress ratios under 2D plane strain conditions. A tiny void is introduced in the weak zone to trigger cavitation. The results show that the critical hydrostatic stress at cavitation is reduced due to the presence of the weak zones and is governed by yield properties of the weak zone and the prevailing stress state. Moreover, unlike in a homogeneous plastic solid, the cavitation stress of the heterogeneous aggregate does not reduce appreciably as the stress ratio decreases from unity when the yield strength of the weak zone is low. The volume fraction of the weak zones and stress ratio influence the nature of cavitation bifurcation. This includes the possibility of snap cavitation wherein a void of finite size suddenly forms in the intact material which does not happen in a homogeneous plastic solid. Further, continuum simulations of crack initiation under mode-I plane strain, small scale yielding conditions in a heterogeneous elastic-plastic solid having a distribution of weak zones are performed. The results show that a three-step process is involved in the catastrophic fracture observed in brittle MGs. First, cavities nucleate in weak zones ahead of the crack tip and start growing rapidly. Secondly, curved shear bands form linking the current crack tip with the nearby cavity. Thirdly, as plastic strain and free volume accumulate within these shear bands, failure takes place facilitating further extension of the crack. The proposed fracture mechanism explains the formation of nano-corrugations in brittle MGs. The results also predict a correlation between notched fracture toughness and Poisson’s ratio and brittle-ductile transition which is qualitatively similar to that observed in experiments. the deformation behavior of nano-sized notched MG samples subjected to plane strain tensile loading is modeled through finite element simulations using a non-local plasticity theory for MGs. The results show that a plastic zone first develops around the notch root and grows to a critical size before a dominant shear band emanates from this zone that would lead to failure. The SB width and the saturation notch root plastic zone size scales with an intrinsic material length lc associated with interaction stress between flow defecrs. Also, the ratio of the ligament length to saturation plastic zone size governs the transition from shear banding to necking. The deformation behaviour of NGs subjected to plane strain tensile loading is investigated through finite element simulations using the above non-local plasticity theory. It is found that the ratio of the material length lc to nano-grain size governs the deformation behavior of NGs. Also, SB width scales in same manner with lc both in MG and NG specimens and moderate changes in specimen size have little effect on mechanical response of NGs.

Plastic flow in bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) localizes into narrow bands, which, in the absence of a microstructure that could obstruct them, propagate unhindered under tensile loading. In constrained deformation conditions such as indentation and at notch roots, extensive shear band formation can occur. A key issue in the context of fracture of BMGs that is yet to be understood comprehensively is how their toughness is controlled by various state parameters. Towards this end, the change in fracture toughness and plasticity with short term annealing above and below the glass transition temperature, Tg, is studied in a Zr-based BMG. Elastic properties like shear modulus, Poisson's ratio as well as parameters defining the internal state like the fictive temperature, Tf, density, and free volume are measured and correlation with the toughness was attempted at. While the elastic properties may help in distinguishing between tough and brittle glasses, they fail to reveal the reasons behind the toughness variations. Spherical-tip nanoindentation and microindentation tests were employed to probe the size, distributions and activation energies of the microscopic plastic carriers with the former and shear band densities with the latter. Results indicate that specimens annealed at a higher temperature, Ta, exhibit profuse shear banding with negligible changes in the local yield strengths. Statistical analysis of the nanoindentation data by incorporating the nucleation rate theory and the results of the cooperative shear model (CSM), reveals that short term annealing doesn't alter the shear transformation zone (STZ) size much. However, density estimates indicate changes in the free volume content across specimens. A model combining STZ activation and free volume accumulation predicts a higher rate in the reduction of the cumulative STZ activation barrier in specimens with a higher initial free volume content. Of the macroscopic physical properties, the specimen density is revealed to be a useful qualitative measure of enhancement in fracture toughness and plasticity in BMGs. We turn our attention next to the brittle fracture in BMGs, with the specific objective of understanding the mechanisms of failure. For this purpose, mode I fracture experiments were conducted on embrittled BMG samples and the fracture surface features were analyzed in detail. Wallner lines, which result from the interaction between the propagating crack front and shear waves emanating from a secondary source, were observed on the fracture surface and geometric analysis of them indicates that the maximum crack velocity to be ~800 m/s, which corresponds to ~0.32 times the shear wave speed. Fractography reveals that the sharp crack nucleation at the notch tip occurs at the mid-section of the specimens with the observation of flat and half-penny shaped cracks. On this basis, we conclude that the crack initiation in brittle BMGs occurs through hydrostatic stress assisted cavity nucleation ahead of the notch tip. High magnification scanning electron and atomic force microscopies of the dynamic crack growth regions reveal highly organized, nanoscale periodic patterns with a spacing of ~79 nm. Juxtaposition of the crack velocity with this spacing suggests that that the crack takes ~10-10 s for peak-to-peak propagation. This, and the estimated adiabatic temperature rise ahead of the propagating crack tip that suggests local softening, are utilized to critically discuss possible causes for the nanocorrugation formation. The Taylor’s fluid meniscus instability is unequivocally ruled out. Then, two other possible mechanisms, viz. (a) crack tip blunting and resharpening through nanovoid nucleation and growth ahead of the crack tip and eventual coalescence, and (b) dynamic oscillation of the crack in a thin slab of softened zone ahead of the crack-tip, are critically discussed. One way of alleviating the fracture-related issues in BMGs is to impart a microstructure to it, which would either impede the growth of shear bands or promote the multiplication of them. One such approach is through the BMG composites (BMGCs) route, wherein a crystalline second phase incorporated in the BMG matrix. There is a need to study the effects of reinforcement content, size and distribution on the mechanical behavior of the BMGC so as to achieve an optimum combination of strength and ductility. For this purpose, an investigation into the microstructure and tensile properties of Zr/Ti-based BMG composites of the same composition, but produced by different routes, was conducted so as to identify “structure–property” connections in these materials. This was accomplished by employing four different processing methods—arc melting, suction casting, semi-solid forging and induction melting on a water-cooled copper boat—on composites with two different dendrite volume fractions, Vd. The change in processing parameters only affects microstructural length scales such as the interdendritic spacing, λ, and dendrite size, δ, whereas compositions of the matrix and dendrite are unaffected. Broadly, the composite’s properties are insensitive to the microstructural length scales when Vd is high (∼75%), whereas they become process dependent for relatively lower Vd (∼55%). Larger δ in arc-melted and forged specimens result in higher ductility (7–9%) and lower hardening rates, whereas smaller dendrites increase the hardening rate. A bimodal distribution of dendrites offers excellent ductility at a marginal cost of yield strength. Finer λ result in marked improvements in both ductility and yield strength, due to the confinement of shear band nucleation sites in smaller volumes of the glassy phase. Forging in the semi-solid state imparts such a microstructure.

Plastic flow in bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) localizes into narrow bands, which, in the absence of a microstructure that could obstruct them, propagate unhindered under tensile loading. In constrained deformation conditions such as indentation and at notch roots, extensive shear band formation can occur. A key issue in the context of fracture of BMGs that is yet to be understood comprehensively is how their toughness is controlled by various state parameters. Towards this end, the change in fracture toughness and plasticity with short term annealing above and below the glass transition temperature, Tg, is studied in a Zr-based BMG. Elastic properties like shear modulus, Poisson's ratio as well as parameters defining the internal state like the fictive temperature, Tf, density, and free volume are measured and correlation with the toughness was attempted at. While the elastic properties may help in distinguishing between tough and brittle glasses, they fail to reveal the reasons behind the toughness variations. Spherical-tip nanoindentation and microindentation tests were employed to probe the size, distributions and activation energies of the microscopic plastic carriers with the former and shear band densities with the latter. Results indicate that specimens annealed at a higher temperature, Ta, exhibit profuse shear banding with negligible changes in the local yield strengths. Statistical analysis of the nanoindentation data by incorporating the nucleation rate theory and the results of the cooperative shear model (CSM), reveals that short term annealing doesn't alter the shear transformation zone (STZ) size much. However, density estimates indicate changes in the free volume content across specimens. A model combining STZ activation and free volume accumulation predicts a higher rate in the reduction of the cumulative STZ activation barrier in specimens with a higher initial free volume content. Of the macroscopic physical properties, the specimen density is revealed to be a useful qualitative measure of enhancement in fracture toughness and plasticity in BMGs. We turn our attention next to the brittle fracture in BMGs, with the specific objective of understanding the mechanisms of failure. For this purpose, mode I fracture experiments were conducted on embrittled BMG samples and the fracture surface features were analyzed in detail. Wallner lines, which result from the interaction between the propagating crack front and shear waves emanating from a secondary source, were observed on the fracture surface and geometric analysis of them indicates that the maximum crack velocity to be ~800 m/s, which corresponds to ~0.32 times the shear wave speed. Fractography reveals that the sharp crack nucleation at the notch tip occurs at the mid-section of the specimens with the observation of flat and half-penny shaped cracks. On this basis, we conclude that the crack initiation in brittle BMGs occurs through hydrostatic stress assisted cavity nucleation ahead of the notch tip. High magnification scanning electron and atomic force microscopies of the dynamic crack growth regions reveal highly organized, nanoscale periodic patterns with a spacing of ~79 nm. Juxtaposition of the crack velocity with this spacing suggests that that the crack takes ~10-10 s for peak-to-peak propagation. This, and the estimated adiabatic temperature rise ahead of the propagating crack tip that suggests local softening, are utilized to critically discuss possible causes for the nanocorrugation formation. The Taylor’s fluid meniscus instability is unequivocally ruled out. Then, two other possible mechanisms, viz. (a) crack tip blunting and resharpening through nanovoid nucleation and growth ahead of the crack tip and eventual coalescence, and (b) dynamic oscillation of the crack in a thin slab of softened zone ahead of the crack-tip, are critically discussed. One way of alleviating the fracture-related issues in BMGs is to impart a microstructure to it, which would either impede the growth of shear bands or promote the multiplication of them. One such approach is through the BMG composites (BMGCs) route, wherein a crystalline second phase incorporated in the BMG matrix. There is a need to study the effects of reinforcement content, size and distribution on the mechanical behavior of the BMGC so as to achieve an optimum combination of strength and ductility. For this purpose, an investigation into the microstructure and tensile properties of Zr/Ti-based BMG composites of the same composition, but produced by different routes, was conducted so as to identify “structure–property” connections in these materials. This was accomplished by employing four different processing methods—arc melting, suction casting, semi-solid forging and induction melting on a water-cooled copper boat—on composites with two different dendrite volume fractions, Vd. The change in processing parameters only affects microstructural length scales such as the interdendritic spacing, λ, and dendrite size, δ, whereas compositions of the matrix and dendrite are unaffected. Broadly, the composite’s properties are insensitive to the microstructural length scales when Vd is high (∼75%), whereas they become process dependent for relatively lower Vd (∼55%). Larger δ in arc-melted and forged specimens result in higher ductility (7–9%) and lower hardening rates, whereas smaller dendrites increase the hardening rate. A bimodal distribution of dendrites offers excellent ductility at a marginal cost of yield strength. Finer λ result in marked improvements in both ductility and yield strength, due to the confinement of shear band nucleation sites in smaller volumes of the glassy phase. Forging in the semi-solid state imparts such a microstructure.

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are a new class of structural materials and exhibit unique combinations of mechanical properties. As a result, their mechanical behavior has been an active area of scientific pursuit in the recent past and considerable emphasis has been paid to understand plastic deformation in them. It is now well accepted that shear transformation zones (STZs), aided by free volume, are the fundamental carriers of plasticity. At a microscopic level, deformation at low temperatures and high stresses tends to localize into shear bands. Most BMGs posses high fracture toughness despite high yield strengths and poor global ductility. However, the micro-mechanisms of fracture and fatigue in this new class of materials are not fully understood yet. The overall objective of this study is to provide insights into the fracture and fatigue response of amorphous alloys, which is important both from scientific and technological perspectives. The key questions we seek to answer through this study are the following. Do amorphous alloys undergo a ductile-brittle transition (DBT), and if so what are the reasons for it? What are the parameters that influence fatigue crack initiation in amorphous alloys and whether fatigue life can be improved by surface treatments? A related question is whether the BMGs are susceptible to deformation-induced crystallization (DIC). A Zr-based BMG, Zr41.2Ti13.75Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 was utilized to conduct this study. By comparing the fracture and fatigue behaviors in the as-cast and annealed states {annealing was carried out below the glass transition temperature (Tg) because of established embrittlement effects}, we seek to provide answers for the questions posed above. We begin by examining the influence of temperature on the toughness of BMGs. Impact toughness measurements show that the annealed samples, which are brittle at room temperature, recover the lost toughness beyond a critical temperature (TDB) and exhibit a sharp DBT. However, the hardness remains unaffected across the TDB. Fractography reveals nano-scale patterning and cleavage fracture in the brittle state, while the formation of thick vein-patterns and shear fracture are characteristics of the ductile state of the annealed samples. We explore various micro-mechanistic possibilities for explaining the features of this transition, including a critical Poisson’s ratio-toughness correlation. Next, to understand the origins of fatigue crack initiation, we study the un-notched fatigue response of as-cast and sub-Tg annealed Zr-based BMG specimens. Because of embrittlement and nano-crystallization at the crack initiation region, the annealed specimens exhibit a lower fatigue life than the as-cast specimens. Shot-peening of the as-cast specimens did not exhibit significant improvement in their fatigue performance because of competing effects between the compressive residual stress field (CRSF) and deformation-induced softening. To further investigate surface and repeated loading effects, the tribological response of the as-cast Zr-based BMG was compared with specimens annealed above and below the Tg. A good correlation between the hardness (increasing as a function of the annealing temperature) and wear rate was obtained. The formation and peeling of the oxide layer formed during testing was the primary wear mechanism in all the specimens. Lastly, crystallization was observed within the deformed region of the as-cast Zr-based BMG repeatedly scratched with a sharp diamond indenter. But, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) does not reveal any evidence of crystallization within the indents formed within an electron transparent film formed by laser deposition of the as-cast Zr-based BMG. Absence of crystallization in deformed regions obtained by designing critical experiments, which avoid artifacts generated during sample preparation, suggests that the occasional observation of DIC might be an exception rather than the rule in BMGs.

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are a new class of structural materials and exhibit unique combinations of mechanical properties. As a result, their mechanical behavior has been an active area of scientific pursuit in the recent past and considerable emphasis has been paid to understand plastic deformation in them. It is now well accepted that shear transformation zones (STZs), aided by free volume, are the fundamental carriers of plasticity. At a microscopic level, deformation at low temperatures and high stresses tends to localize into shear bands. Most BMGs posses high fracture toughness despite high yield strengths and poor global ductility. However, the micro-mechanisms of fracture and fatigue in this new class of materials are not fully understood yet. The overall objective of this study is to provide insights into the fracture and fatigue response of amorphous alloys, which is important both from scientific and technological perspectives. The key questions we seek to answer through this study are the following. Do amorphous alloys undergo a ductile-brittle transition (DBT), and if so what are the reasons for it? What are the parameters that influence fatigue crack initiation in amorphous alloys and whether fatigue life can be improved by surface treatments? A related question is whether the BMGs are susceptible to deformation-induced crystallization (DIC). A Zr-based BMG, Zr41.2Ti13.75Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 was utilized to conduct this study. By comparing the fracture and fatigue behaviors in the as-cast and annealed states {annealing was carried out below the glass transition temperature (Tg) because of established embrittlement effects}, we seek to provide answers for the questions posed above. We begin by examining the influence of temperature on the toughness of BMGs. Impact toughness measurements show that the annealed samples, which are brittle at room temperature, recover the lost toughness beyond a critical temperature (TDB) and exhibit a sharp DBT. However, the hardness remains unaffected across the TDB. Fractography reveals nano-scale patterning and cleavage fracture in the brittle state, while the formation of thick vein-patterns and shear fracture are characteristics of the ductile state of the annealed samples. We explore various micro-mechanistic possibilities for explaining the features of this transition, including a critical Poisson’s ratio-toughness correlation. Next, to understand the origins of fatigue crack initiation, we study the un-notched fatigue response of as-cast and sub-Tg annealed Zr-based BMG specimens. Because of embrittlement and nano-crystallization at the crack initiation region, the annealed specimens exhibit a lower fatigue life than the as-cast specimens. Shot-peening of the as-cast specimens did not exhibit significant improvement in their fatigue performance because of competing effects between the compressive residual stress field (CRSF) and deformation-induced softening. To further investigate surface and repeated loading effects, the tribological response of the as-cast Zr-based BMG was compared with specimens annealed above and below the Tg. A good correlation between the hardness (increasing as a function of the annealing temperature) and wear rate was obtained. The formation and peeling of the oxide layer formed during testing was the primary wear mechanism in all the specimens. Lastly, crystallization was observed within the deformed region of the as-cast Zr-based BMG repeatedly scratched with a sharp diamond indenter. But, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) does not reveal any evidence of crystallization within the indents formed within an electron transparent film formed by laser deposition of the as-cast Zr-based BMG. Absence of crystallization in deformed regions obtained by designing critical experiments, which avoid artifacts generated during sample preparation, suggests that the occasional observation of DIC might be an exception rather than the rule in BMGs.

Abstract As compared to thermal spray techniques, cold spraying allows to retain metastable phases of the feedstock material like amorphous structures, due to lower process gas temperatures. Compared to crystalline metals, metallic glasses are brittle at ambient temperature but viscous at higher temperatures. Therefore, cold spray parameters must be optimized for conditions that allow softening of the amorphous spray material for successfully producing coatings. For this study, a FeCoCrMoBC metallic glass was used that in comparison to others offers advantages with respect to higher hardness, less costly feedstock powder and minimum reactivity with the environment. Necessary impact conditions were investigated to meet the window of deposition. According to calculations and cold spray experiments, neither the glass transition temperature Tg nor the melting temperature Tm can describe required conditions for bonding. Thus, a so called softening temperature between the glass temperature and the melting temperature had to be defined to calculate the critical velocity of metallic glasses. With respect to the bonding mechanism, impact morphologies could prove that a transition to viscous flow gets more prominent for harsher spray conditions. By sufficiently exceeding critical condition for bonding, coatings with rather dense microstructures can be processed at deposition efficiencies of about 70 %. The coatings have a hardness of 1100 HV 0.3, but the results also demonstrate that further work is still needed to explore the full potential for bulk metallic glasses.

Glass, an ancient yet innovative material, has always held a particular fascination. We are surrounded by glass in almost all areas of life, in the home by window glass, television and computer screens, by wine glasses etc., and by high-tech products such as glass fibres, micro-optics, aspherical precision lenses etc. The problems involved in machining all types of glass are summed up by the expression: "Glass retains its shape until it reaches breaking point" which, at the same time defines the dominant characteristic of float and optical glass. The brittle nature of glass is the major influencing factor on the material removal mechanism when glass parts are machined using diamond wheels with metallic bonds. Glass chips are removed by inducing fractures. Under certain boundary machining conditions, however, it is possible to achieve a viscous flow of the glass material. This principle is known as ductile material removal. By producing a very finely-structured surface, the ductile grinding process reduces or eliminates the need for a polish-finishing operation. This paper describes the dominating parameters on ductile chip formation and illustrates some special applications.

Recently with a rapid advance of new material industry, the new materials such as ceramics and glass are increasingly applied to precision machine parts and optical parts etc.. Therefore, requirements of advanced slicing technique for precision slicing of these materials having the features of hardness and brittleness is gradually increasing. Generally, the slicing method using metallic bond diamond blades is using for the slicing of the hard and brittle materials. However, since the diamond blades of upper grits size #200 cannot be used due to the loading of blades etc., it is difficult to achieve the good slicing surface with high quality. In order to achieve the good slicing surface with high quality, post processing operations such as polishing and lapping must be carried out after slicing operation. Therefore, to obtain simultaneously excellent slicing surface such as mirror surface without the post processing operation, development of advanced slicing technique using a metallic bond diamond blade with fine grain size is essential. ELID (Electrolytic In-Process Dressing) is a new grinding technique which the protrudent gains of wheel is controlled and maintained by assistance of the electrolytic in-process dressing(ELID) and especially possesses the excellent capabilities for the fine or mirror surface grinding of hard and brittle materials1). Many studies on various grinding techniques applying ELID grinding have been reported until now2),3). In this study, ELID-grinding slicing technique to realize fine and mirror surface slicing of hard and brittle materials is proposed. A mirror surface slicing machine installed with the proposed ELID-grinding slicing system is developed and its performance is evaluated.

Abstract. Endless fiber-reinforced plastics are being used to an increasing extent as alternative materials for highly stressed or lightweight components instead of metallic materials. In order to achieve the geometric requirements, peripheral machining of the raw parts is necessary. Instead of the currently mainly used cutting processes, which are not suitable for clocked production, high-speed impact cutting (HSIC) was examined in the presented experiments. This technology is known as adiabatic cutting from the processing of metallic materials. Due to the high process energy which is released in a very short time resulting in high punch speed, the prevailing separation mechanism changes. Instead of bending the fibers due to the shear force the high-speed cutting experiments with a punch speed of 10 m/s lead to a brittle shearing of the glass fibers and a locally very limited heating and hence softening of the matrix material resulting in a clean surface of the cut specimen. The inter fiber breakage, meaning the separation between fibers and matrix called delamination, can be avoided or at least be sealed at the surface due to heat induced smearing of the matrix material. The resulting surface quality of the cutting edge is exceptionally good. However, the technically necessary cutting clearance leads to a jump in diameter within the cut surface.