Preparation of Composites with Al Matrix
- It is probably best to cut the specimens with a precision saw, or lowspeed diamond saw. I would try a 15 LC diamond blade, but you will need to dress it occasionally during cutting as the Al matrix is “gummy” and will load up on the blade.
- Use plenty of water coolant when grinding with the resin-bonded DGD Color disks
- Charge the cloths with diamond in paste form; press the diamond into the cloth surface with your finger tips and spread it around the surface; then add MetaDi Fluid lubricant. During the polishing cycle, you can squirt on diamond of the same size in suspension form to keep the surface covered. Do not let the cloth surface get dry.
- With 1-um diamond, use it only in paste form to avoid embedding. One of my colleagues is polishing 1100 Al containing B4C and diamond embedding is a serious problem, even with sizes >1 m, which is not a common problem.
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The articles and presentations that can be down-loaded from this web site are based upon work done by GFV while employed at Bethlehem Steel (1967-1983), Carpenter Technology (1983-1996), Buehler Ltd. (1996-2009) and Struers (2009-Present) and from the authors consulting work for companies such as, Latrobe Steel, Scot Forge, etc., and from his litigation work. GFV's bylined articles appearing in various issues of the ASM Handbook series have been listed here courtesy of ASM International, Materials Park, Ohio.