Performance improvement of grinding of SiC using graphite as a solid lubricant

Grinding is a widely employed finishing process for different materials. It is inherently characterized by its high specific energy requirement unlike other machining processes. This leads to a high grinding zone temperature, which impairs the workpiece quality by inducing thermal damage in the form of surface and subsurface cracks, phase transformations, tensile residual stresses, etc. The microcracks and residual stresses induced in the surface of the ceramics during grinding can severely limit the application of ceramic components. This article deals with an investigation on using graphite as a solid lubricant to reduce friction and thereby improve the surface integrity of ground silicon carbide (SiC). An experimental setup has been developed, and experiments have been conducted to study the effect of using a graphite lubricant on the surface roughness, grinding forces, and specific energy while grinding SiC material. Results indicate that there is a considerable improvement in the performance of grinding SiC using graphite as a solid lubricant when compared with dry grinding in terms of specific energy requirements, surface roughness, and damage. The employment of graphite as a solid lubricant in ceramic grinding makes the process more economical and reliable.