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Duplex α/β-SiAlON ceramic cutting inserts (30α:70β) were synthesized by microwave sintering. The effects of solid solution parameters (m, n, z), synthesis temperature, and amount of excess Y2O3 synthesis additive on phase assemblage, microstructure, mechanical properties, and cutting performance were systematically investigated. It was found that increasing m value could improve the formation of α phase while high z value over 1.0 resulted in the dissolution of α phase into β phase and intergranular phase. Increasing the amount of excess Y2O3 could promote densification and elongated β grain growth; however, the excess Y2O3 amount above 4 wt% resulted in substantial crystallization of M'SS phase, thus declining the mechanical properties and wear resistance. The microwave-synthesized α/β-SiAlON cutting insert with modified parameters (m = 1.7, n = 1.0, z = 0.7, and 3 wt% excess Y2O3) was obtained with optimal comprehensive properties, whose tool life was found to increase by approximately 75% in high-speed milling of Inconel 718 superalloy compared to the commercial α/β-SiAlON cutting insert.


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Microwave synthesis of duplex α/β-SiAlON ceramic cutting inserts: Modifying m, n, z values, synthesis temperature, and excess Y2O3 synthesis additive

Show Author's information Dongbo HONGa,bZengbin YINa,b( )Fuzhou GUOa,bJuntang YUANa,b
School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
Collaborative Innovation Center of High-End Equipment Manufacturing Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Nanjing 210094, China

Abstract

Duplex α/β-SiAlON ceramic cutting inserts (30α:70β) were synthesized by microwave sintering. The effects of solid solution parameters (m, n, z), synthesis temperature, and amount of excess Y2O3 synthesis additive on phase assemblage, microstructure, mechanical properties, and cutting performance were systematically investigated. It was found that increasing m value could improve the formation of α phase while high z value over 1.0 resulted in the dissolution of α phase into β phase and intergranular phase. Increasing the amount of excess Y2O3 could promote densification and elongated β grain growth; however, the excess Y2O3 amount above 4 wt% resulted in substantial crystallization of M'SS phase, thus declining the mechanical properties and wear resistance. The microwave-synthesized α/β-SiAlON cutting insert with modified parameters (m = 1.7, n = 1.0, z = 0.7, and 3 wt% excess Y2O3) was obtained with optimal comprehensive properties, whose tool life was found to increase by approximately 75% in high-speed milling of Inconel 718 superalloy compared to the commercial α/β-SiAlON cutting insert.

Keywords: microwave, α/β-SiAlON, ceramic cutting insert, solid solution parameter, Y2O3 synthesis additive

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Publication history

Received: 09 May 2021
Revised: 31 October 2021
Accepted: 03 December 2021
Published: 17 March 2022
Issue date: April 2022

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© The Author(s) 2021.

Acknowledgements

The work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51875291 and 52075266), the Excellent Youth Fund of Jiangsu Province (No. BK20190070), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 30920032206).

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