Investigation of Physical and Chemical Processes of Formation of Composite Materials with Specified Structural Phase Characteristics

Abstract

In domestic practice development of the production technology of rail grinding wheels has outstripped the development of technology for the production of zirconium electro-corundum; the electrocorundum meets the requirements of non-thermal metal treatment. Among the artificial abrasives the leading place belongs to corundum and corundum based alloys (zirconium electrocorundum). At the moment the domestic factories of the abrasive industry are producing zirconium electrocorundum of the pre-eutectic composition (containing about 25% of zirconium dioxide) for rough grinding applied for the rough processing of the rolled products. The zirconium electrocorundum for the final non-thermal metal treatment is not produced by domestic factories; there are no technical requirements for such a material. This work was targeted to develop compositions and parameters for melting of prototypes for the industrial scale production of zirconium electrocorundum with specified and controlled properties. The grain of zirconium electrocorundum in the grinding wheels used in rail grinding trains has specific properties. According to the principles of non-thermal material processing, the structural and phase state of the grinding grain should provide high strength and durability under normal conditions, and at the same time it should tend to shear during the thermal exposure. The design of domestic electrocorundum for rail grinding with properties which are not inferior in comparison with the imported analogues is a strategic issue.