Matching of Al2O3 Ceramic Tools with Workpiece Materials Based on Thermodynamics

The cutting temperature always reaches over 1000degC during high speed cutting with Al₂O₃ ceramic tools. Diffusion wear is the main wear mechanisms at such high temperature. In this paper, the rules of diffusion wear for Al₂O₃ ceramic tools are studied based on thermodynamics. Dissolution concentrations in typical normal workpiece materials of ceramic tool material at different temperature are then calculated. Diffusion reaction rules in high temperature are also analyzed using Gibbs free energy criterion, it was found that the theoretical results were uniform with the experimental data; the results will provide useful references for tool material design and selection.