Molecular dynamics simulation of amorphous silica polishing using spherical alumina abrasive

HL Gao and JB Meng and XJ Dong and ZX Zheng and X Zou and YW Gao and YS Li, PHYSICA SCRIPTA, 100, 115935 (2025).

DOI: 10.1088/1402-4896/ae1a20

As a crucial optical material, K9 glass is widely used in lenses, prisms and window components for high-precision optical instruments and laser systems due to its excellent optical homogeneity, high light transmittance and good mechanical properties. However, traditional mechanical polishing methods can cause surface defects and subsurface damage due to its high hardness and brittleness. To capture the processes of material removal, damage formation and surface evolution in real-time at the atomic scale, this paper employs molecular dynamics simulations to explore the polishing characteristics of K9 glass, focusing on the mechanisms of material removal at the microscopic level. Atomic-level models of amorphous silica (the main component of K9 glass) and alumina abrasives were constructed to simulate the polishing process under various conditions. Key parameters such as polishing speed, polishing depth and abrasive radius were analysed in terms of polishing forces, friction coefficients, surface morphology, subsurface temperature and atom removal. Results show that higher polishing speeds increase subsurface temperature, while greater polishing depths lead to higher forces, friction coefficients and atom removal but degrade surface quality. Larger abrasive sizes increase polishing force but decrease friction coefficients, temperature and atom removal. The best polishing results were achieved with a speed of 150 m s-1, a depth of 15 & Aring; and abrasive particles with a radius of 25 & Aring;. This study provides a microscopic understanding of K9 glass polishing and offers theoretical support for optimizing its processing quality.

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