Material removal prediction and abrasive swarm performance in electrorheological polishing of zirconium-based amorphous alloy with multi-layer electrodes

C Fan and X Qi and SH Xie and BB Meng and FS Liang and Z Wang and J Zhao and T Chen and WL Zhu and XF Yang, TRIBOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, 204, 110508 (2025).

DOI: 10.1016/j.triboint.2025.110508

Zirconium-based amorphous alloys are widely employed in the medical device industry due to their superior biocompatibility. The enhancement of their surface quality and precision is vital for ensuring optimal performance and durability in practical applications. In this study, a novel electrorheological (ER) polishing tool system incorporating a multilayer electrode has been developed for the polishing of Zr-based amorphous alloys. The electric field distribution near the electrode tool has been theoretically deduced, and an interface pressure model has been established. By combining this with the relative linear velocity model, a new method for predicting the theoretical profile of material removal during ER polishing has been introduced. The accuracy of this theoretical profile has been verified through ER polishing experiments. The results indicate that the proposed theoretical profile model possesses high prediction accuracy. Moreover, a Zr-based amorphous alloy surface with an optimal surface roughness of 3.49 nm has been obtained, demonstrating the achievement of high-precision and high-quality surface processing. Finally, a molecular dynamics simulation has been conducted to investigate atomic-scale material removal and surface revolution due to atomic-scale interaction between abrasive particle swarm and material during the ER polishing of Zr-based amorphous alloys from atomic-scale viewpoint.

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