Finishing performance of polyurethane-based flexible tools fabricated using solvent casting and particulate leaching method

Abstract

Oxygen-free high thermal conductivity (OFHC) copper is a common material for mirrors in different optical applications. As it is a soft material and easy to scratch, the nanofinishing using traditional finishing processes is difficult. A flexible abrasive tool that can adapt to the shape of the component and apply uniform and gentle pressure is required to achieve a high-quality surface finish on the soft materials. Flexible abrasive tools are fabricated using the solution casting and dissolution method with open porous microstructure and uniformly dispersed silicon carbide particles in a polyurethane polymer matrix. Mechanical and finishing characteristics of the fabricated tools are obtained under dry and wet conditions. The developed tools are self-lubricating and self-replenishing, reducing tool wear and eliminating burn marks on finished surfaces. Scanning electron micrographs and energy dispersive spectroscopy are used to investigate the tool microstructure and abrasive particle distribution before and after finishing. The mechanical behaviour of tools is studied using a dynamic mechanical analyser. Porosity is measured using the interconnected void volume, and fluid absorption rate is calculated through weight measurement before and after fluid absorption. The surface finish of finished surfaces is analysed using an optical surface profilometer. Results show that the flexible abrasive tool performs the best under wet conditions. In a single pass, a wet salt-leached tool achieved a reduction of 42.2 % on a surface having a lower initial roughness, whereas a wet pure polymer tool achieved a reduction of 45.7 % on a surface having a higher initial roughness. Finally, areal surface roughness of 34 nm is achieved in 16 mins of finishing experiment using pure polymer tool followed by salt-leached tool.