Light emission of Zr-based bulk metallic glass during high-speed cutting: From generation mechanism to control strategies

Abstract

Light emission is a unique machining feature during high-speed cutting of Zr-based bulk metallic glass (BMG), which significantly deteriorates the machining quality and efficiency. However, its generation mechanism is still unclear. In this study, the light emission of Zr-based BMG during high-speed cutting was quantified photometrically, and its correlation with cutting energy was investigated. The chemical composition change and the formation process of luminescent particles were analyzed. The generation mechanism of light emission was subsequently revealed. It was found that the light emission is due to the spontaneous ignition in air of Zr-based BMG particles with large specific surface area, produced by ductile tearing of the bottom of the chip. The friction energy of the tool-chip interface flowing into the chips is the dominant factor that triggers particle combustion. Therefore, from the perspective of controlling tool wear, machining strategies with controllable light emission were proposed. In order to suppress light emission, the primary method is to decrease the cutting speed and feed. The second is to improve the chip removal ability and the wear resistance of the tool. Cutting oil is only effective for suppressing light emission at low cutting speeds, while liquid nitrogen is not suitable for cutting Zr-based BMG due to increased tool wear. The findings of this work contribute to a deeper understanding of the generation mechanism of cutting features in glassy metals, and provide guidance for high-speed cutting process optimization of Zr-based BMG.