Abstract
An estimation method is proposed for determining the distribution of volume fraction of a phase which is transformed from a matrix phase in the surface layer during grinding. The method utilizes the fact that contribution of diffracted X-rays on a certain layer of the material to the total intensity of diffraction varies with the incident angle of X-rays in the thin film X-ray diffraction technique. The method is applied to analyzing the surface layer of yttria-doped tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (Y-TZP) ground by diamond wheel. It is found that the volume fraction of monoclinic generated by grinding becomes the maximum near the ground surface and decreases gradually in the deeper layer up to a few microns. The maximum volume fraction and the existing depth of the monoclinic become small with decrease in the average grain size of diamond wheels and in work feed speed.
