Fabrication of Al-(Al₃Ti＋Diamond) Functionally Graded Grinding Wheels by the Centrifugal Sintered-Casting Method

Abstract

In this study, an Al-(Al₃Ti＋Diamond) functionally graded grinding wheel, a kind of functionally graded material, was fabricated by the centrifugal sintered-casting method, which combines centrifugal sintering and centrifugal casting. A mixture of diamond grains, Al particles, and Ti particles was sintered under the centrifugal force to fabricate a ring-shaped preform. During this process, the exothermic reaction of 3Al＋Ti→ Al₃Ti promoted sintering. The molten Al matrix metal was subsequently poured into the fabricated preform under a centrifugal force (centrifugal casting) to obtain a functionally graded grinding wheel. The drilling performance of the fabricated functionally graded grinding wheel for carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminates was also investigated using a dual-axis grinding wheel system. Our results show that the Al₃Ti phase acts as a heterogenous nucleation site during centrifugal casting, resulting in a refined and uniform microstructure with enhanced mechanical properties.