Burnishing of Aluminium Alloy Surface Using Diamond Matrix Composite Tools
To make the most of unique properties of diamond and to diminish an influence its disadvantageous properties new diamond tool composites with ceramic bonding phase (MAX) has been proposed. Ti3(Si,Ge)C2 and Ti3SiC2 were produced by self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS). 3-6 µm (MDA, De Beers) diamond powder was mechanically mixed with 10 wt% Ti3(Si,Ge)C2 or 30 wt% Ti3SiC2, pressed and the compacts were sintered at 1962 °C at 8.0 GPa in a Bridgman-type high pressure apparatus. These mechanical properties were determined: Vickers hardness HV1, Young’s modulus, tensile strength, fracture toughness and wear resistance.Microstructure and phase composition were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and X-ray and electron diffraction techniques. To improve the final quality of the AlCu4MgSi(A) alloy, balls of diamond-new composites were incorporated into the burnishing tools. The influence of burnishing parameters, such as burnishing force and feed, on surface geometry parameters were measured and profilograms of the surface roughness recorded.