Polishing behavior and surface quality of alumina and alumina/silicon carbide nanocomposites

The response of Al2O3 and Al2O3/SIC nanocomposites to lapping and polishing after initial grinding was investigated in terms of changes in surface qua lity with time for various grit sizes. The surface quality was quantified b y surface roughness (R-a) and by the relative areas of smooth polished surf aces as opposed to rough as-ground areas. Polishing behavior of the materia ls was discussed in terms of SiC content and grain size. It was concluded t hat nanocomposites are more resistant to surface damage than Al2O3, and thi s behavior does not depend on the amount of SIC in the range 1-5 vol%, SiC addition greater than or equal to 1 vol% is enough to produce a noticeable improvement in surface quality during lapping and polishing.