Evolution of topography and material removal during nanoscale grinding

In this work we perform molecular dynamics simulations to quantify and parametrize the evolution of a bcc Fe work piece topography during nanometric grinding with multiple hard abrasive particles. The final surface quality depends on both the normal pressure and the abrasive geometry. We fit the time development of the substrate's root mean squared roughness to an exponential function, allowing the definition of a run-in regime, during which the surface 'forgets' about its initial state, and a steady-state regime where the roughness no longer changes. The time constants associated with smoothing and material removal are almost inversely proportional to each other, highlighting the distinctiveness of these two simultaneously occurring processes. We also describe an attempt to reduce the time required to achieve the smoothest possible surface finish by periodically re-adjusting the normal pressure during the grinding process.