Pulsed Laser Polishing of Zirconia Ceramic Microcrack Generation Mechanism and Size Characterization Study

Abstract

In order to study the mechanism of microcrack generation in the process of pulsed laser polishing of zirconia ceramics and the influence of laser polishing process parameters on the surface temperature and surface stress, this paper establishes a finite element computational model of pulsed laser polishing of zirconia ceramics based on the COMSOL Multiphysics multi-physics field simulation software. Firstly, in the process of establishing the finite element model, the temperature field and stress field coupling is used to analyze the temperature field and stress field changes during the laser polishing process, which reveals the microcrack generation mechanism and size characteristics of zirconia ceramics in the process of pulsed laser polishing. Secondly, through parameterized scanning, the variation rules of surface temperature and surface stress were studied under different process parameters of laser power, scanning speed, pulse frequency and pulse width. Finally, the validity of the finite element calculation model is verified by the pulsed laser polishing zirconia ceramics experiment. The results show that, in a certain energy range, the high-energy laser beam can effectively reduce the surface roughness of the material, and with the increase in the time of laser action on the surface layer of the material, it will cause the temperature and thermal stress of the surface layer of the material to continue to accumulate, and when the stress value exceeds the yield limit of the material, cracks will form in the surface layer of the material; because the laser power, scanning speed, pulse frequency and pulse width are used to affect the laser energy density, and then, the pulse width will be affected by the process parameters of the laser energy density, and thus the surface temperature and thermal stress of the surface layer of the material. Because the laser power, scanning speed, pulse frequency and pulse width all affect the thermal stress on the material surface by influencing the laser energy density acting on the material surface, the laser energy density is the main influencing factor of the dimensional characteristics of the microcracks. In addition, the microcrack width and depth will increase when the laser energy density acting on the material surface layer increases.