Plastic Deformability at Micro-Scale of Fiber-Reinforced Ceramics with Porous Matrix during Grinding

Fiber-reinforced ceramics (ceramic matrix composites (CMCs)) with uncoated alumina oxide fibers in a porous alumina oxide matrix represent a group of materials with high application potential and future importance. In most cases, a grinding process is necessary to fulfill surface and tolerance requirements. However, the machining characteristics of CMCs with a porous alumina oxide matrix and the underlying material removal mechanisms are not investigated yet. It has been shown that ductile grinding, requiring plastic deformation, of monolithic alumina oxide is possible. It is not known, if the existing knowledge regarding the grinding characteristics of monolithic alumina oxide can be transferred to CMCs with a porous alumina oxide matrix. Hence, the research question of this paper is whether a ductile grinding and thus plastic deformation of this CMC type is possible or only brittle material behavior is present.