Recrystallization Textures during Laser-Assisted Machining of Zirconia Ceramics

By locally heating ceramic materials with a high energy laser it is possible to machine them with similar deformation response and surface finish to that typically accomplished in metals. The high temperatures of laser-assisted machining (LAM) enable chip formation and tailoring of the surfaces that cannot be accomplished in grinding processes. The LAM conditions can produce a wide range of effects, including residual stresses and surface texturing. For sufficiently high temperatures and applied loads it is possible to produce surface texturing through deformation that is apparently a combination of slip-based deformation and recrystallization. Texture assessment using an area detector will be used to demonstrate the evidence for this unique route to producing materials with modified surfaces.