Effect of CaO-TiO2-SiO2 on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Ceramic Corundum Abrasives

Abstract

Ceramic corundum abrasives were prepared using pseudo-boehmite as a raw material via the sol-gel method. Additives can significantly change the microscopic morphology of abrasives and improve mechanical properties. When 2 wt% CaO-TiO2-SiO2 with a molar ratio of 3:4:9 was added, samples with the best morphology and mechanical properties were obtained. Single-particle compressive strength, density, Vickers hardness, and average grain size were 51.45 N, 3.94 g·cm−3, 16.43 GPa, and 0.98 μm, respectively. We compared the same additive system with abrasives prepared by ball milling, and found that ball milling was beneficial for obtaining denser and smaller grain size abrasives. On the other hand, abrasives obtained without ball milling had relatively higher single-particle compressive strength. Additionally, the additives are non-precious metal oxides, which can reduce the cost of the synthesis process. In addition, there has been discussion of the connection between microstructure and mechanical characteristics.