A study on surface polishing of SiC with a tribochemical reaction mechanism

This work investigates the surface polishing of silicon carbide SiC using the tribochemical reaction mechanism. Different metal discs – cast iron, AISI 304 stainless steel, S45C medium carbon steel plated chromium, brass and copper – are used to polish SiC in water and kerosene, respectively. The experimental results show that ferrous metal discs can effectively polish SiC in water. Also, no surface damage or scratches on the polished surface of SiC are observed by this method. The polishing debris was analyzed by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. The analyzed results indicate that the polishing surface of SiC is removed tribochemically with the aid of catalytic effect of iron oxide. Moreover, in this process the maximum material removal rate is about 0.06 m/h.