Experimental study on ultraprecision lapping for zirconia ceramic plane

JI Hongbo, PEN Yan, ZHOU Fenfen, GUO Weigang, LV Binghai
(Ultraprecision Machining Research Center, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China)

Abstract: Aiming at the processing problems of extremely smooth surface of zirconia ceramic, two ultraprecision lapping processes were applied to the process of zirconia ceramic. The influence of slurry and grit size was studied, and the material removal mechanism in different process phases was analyzed, and it was also found that the material′s compactness will decline the machinability of zirconia ceramics, contrast experiment was conducted by using more compactly zirconia ceramicl and lapped by same process. The results indicate that an extremely smooth surface with roughness 12.9nm Ra is obtained in process lapped by diamond paste, and roughness of 6.55nm Ra is obtained in process lapped by Al2O3 and SiO2 slurry, and a better roughness of 4.72nm Ra is observed by using more compactly material.
Key words: zirconia ceramic; ultraprecision lapping; surface evolution; compactness