Study of ceramic cutting tools based on aluminum oxide (review)

Ceramic materials based on aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) are widely used in industry due to their unique combination of high hardness, thermal stability, and chemical inertness. The objective of this work is to review studies on the performance characteristics of ceramic cutting tools based on aluminum oxide. Key factors determining tool performance were examined, including the chemical purity of starting powders, composition modification of ceramics tailored to operating conditions, material microstructure (grain size, porosity, grain boundary state), and residual stresses arising during sintering. It is demonstrated that the wear resistance of Al₂O₃-based ceramics is primarily governed by the stability of grain boundaries (absence of amorphous phases and pores located along grain boundaries). Hardness, which depends on grain size, also exerts an influence. It was found that the lowest wear occurs in ceramics with grain sizes of 0.4 – 0.65 μm. A procedure for evaluating ceramic strength is proposed, incorporating the calculation of critical stress required for crack propagation along grain boundaries. It was established that, following grinding, the strength of conventional sintered ceramics increases by 30%, whereas the strength of ceramics sintered in a hydrogen atmosphere decreases by 10%. The research findings can be applied to develop new methods for controlling grain boundary structure and mitigating the impact of structural defects on the performance characteristics of ceramic cutting tools.

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