Development of an advanced ceramic tool material functionally gradient cutting ceramics

A model for designing functionally gradient ceramic tool materials with symmetrical distribution is presented for the first time. Based on the analysis of stress distribution for ceramic tools in the cutting process, the design of composition distribution was carried out with the aim of partial relaxation of stresses resulting from external loadings by residual thermal stress in fabricating process by means of finite element analysis of residual thermal stress for gradient ceramic tool materials with different compositional distributions. The principle for optimal design was also proposed. An Al2O3/TiC functionally gradient ceramic tool material, FG-I, was accordingly synthesized by hot pressing. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.