Abstract
The present paper describes the sintering characteristics of functionally gradient material (hereafter f.g.m.), such as aluminum nitride/HSS and zirconia/Ni, in order to clarify the influences of sintering conditions to the physical and mechanical properties of these compounds, and their applications to a kind of tool materials. It is clarified that both AIN and ZrO2 compounds that were successfully fabricated by SPS, provide the moderate physical and mechanical properties. Micro Vickers hardness of AIN/10wt%HSS compound is larger than that of AIN compound. The hardness of ZrO2/Ni compound is smaller than that of ZrO2 compound due to the softness of Ni. The surface roughness of aluminum alloy cut by both AIN/HSS and ZrO2/Ni f.g.ms. is slightly smaller than that cut by P20 in wet and dry cutting. The forces in cutting by AIN/HSS f.g.m are smaller than those in cutting by P20 and ZrO2/Ni f.g.m. The flank wear of P20 is less than that of both AIN/HSS and ZrO2/Ni f.g.ms. due to a larger hardness of tungsten carbide. However, the wear rates of P20 are larger than those of functionally gradient materials.
