Preliminary study of disc hydrodynamic polishing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Engineering
• Manufacturing Processes

Background:

• Achieving ultrasmooth surfaces is critical for optical and semiconductor applications.
• Existing polishing methods like elastic emission machining and fluid jet polishing have limitations.
• A novel approach is needed to enhance surface quality and precision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a new polishing method: disc hydrodynamic polishing (DHDP).
• To develop a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based model for predicting surface roughness in DHDP.
• To experimentally validate the performance of DHDP on fused-silica glass.

Main Methods:

• Developed disc hydrodynamic polishing (DHDP), combining elastic emission machining and fluid jet polishing principles.
• Created a CFD-based model integrating CFD and erosion models to predict surface roughness.
• Conducted experiments using a slurry of deionized water and cerium oxide particles on fused-silica glass.

Main Results:

• DHDP successfully produced an ultrasmooth, crack-free surface on fused-silica glass.
• Simulation results from the CFD model showed good agreement with experimental outcomes.
• Experimental data indicated that smaller cerium oxide particles led to superior surface roughness.

Conclusions:

• DHDP is a viable and effective method for achieving high-quality surface finishes.
• The CFD-based model provides a reliable tool for predicting DHDP performance.
• Particle size in the polishing slurry is a key factor in optimizing surface roughness.