Formation and Suppression Mechanism of Subsurface Damage in SiCp/Al Composites via Pulsed Laser-ultrasonic Vibration-assisted Cutting

REN Jianxin; YU Baojun; ZHANG Cuicui; ZHOU Yan; GU Yan; LIN Jieqiong

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.16.007

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Surface Technology ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (16) : 82-97. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.16.007

Special Topic—Precision Machining of Difficult-to-Machine Materials

Formation and Suppression Mechanism of Subsurface Damage in SiCp/Al Composites via Pulsed Laser-ultrasonic Vibration-assisted Cutting

REN Jianxin^1,2, YU Baojun¹, ZHANG Cuicui^1,2, ZHOU Yan^1,2,*, GU Yan^1,2, LIN Jieqiong^1,2

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Abstract

SiCp/Al composites are increasingly utilized in critical fields such as aerospace engineering, advanced defense industries, and precision instrumentation, owing to their exceptional high specific strength, high specific modulus, superb wear resistance, and low coefficient of thermal expansion. Nevertheless, the extreme physical and mechanical heterogeneity between the hard-brittle reinforcement particles and the ductile metal matrix inherently results in poor machinability during conventional machining (CT). It severely triggers excessive cutting forces, accelerated tool wear, irregular particle dislodgement, brittle fracture, and deep subsurface damage (SSD). These macro- and micro-defects severely degrade the fatigue life and operational reliability of the machined components. To address these limitations, this work introduces a novel hybrid cutting paradigm designated as pulsed laser-ultrasonic vibration-assisted cutting (PLUVAT), aiming to significantly enhance the machined surface integrity by exploiting the micro-synergistic coupling effects of thermal, mechanical, and acoustic energy fields.
In this work, a multi-phase orthogonal cutting finite element (FE) simulation model incorporating the Johnson-Cook model (JC) for the aluminum matrix and the Drucker-Prager model (DP) for the SiC particles is established via the Abaqus/Explicit platform. The FE model systematically investigates the regulation mechanism of the coupled stress field on the micro-fracture pathways of the reinforcement particles. Concurrently, comparative cutting experiments are implemented. Combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) morphological investigations and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) microstructural characterization, the underlying suppression mechanisms governing the subsurface damage are comprehensively elucidated from a multi-scale perspective.
The results demonstrate that, compared with conventional cutting, the surface roughness (S_a) under the PLUVAT configuration is drastically reduced by 38.5%. Numerical simulations and morphological characterizations explicitly reveal the physical synergistic mechanisms of the coupled energy fields. The transient high-energy thermal effect induced by the pulsed laser radiation promotes localized thermal softening of the aluminum matrix. This localized softening markedly minimizes the rigid constraining stress exerted by the matrix on the hard-brittle particles, transitioning the particle removal mode toward stable plastic shearing or regular fracture. Simultaneously, the high-frequency intermittent impact effect of ultrasonic vibration effectively alter the transmission direction and the triaxial state of the dynamic cutting stress. This acoustic effect deflects or arrests the propagation of brittle microcracks within the skin layer, thereby preventing large-scale particle pull-out pits and deep-seated subsurface microcracks. Regarding the microstructural evolution within the subsurface layer, the coupled energy fields trigger a profound transformation of the matrix configuration. EBSD microstructural analysis verifies that noticeable dynamic recrystallization (DRX) occurred within the severely deformed zone under the mutual driving forces of intense shear deformation and transient laser thermal effects, manifesting as an abundance of fine equiaxed grains. The energy-field-induced severe lattice rotation significantly shifts the distribution frequency of specific crystallographic orientations and micro-textures. Furthermore, the thermal activation energy from the laser and the dynamic strain energy from the ultrasonic vibration collaboratively accelerate the mutual movement and efficient coalescence of machining-induced dislocations. Consequently, the geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) density within the subsurface layer drops sharply, which leads to a 22% reduction in the maximum kernel average misorientation (KAM) compared with CT. This microstructural recovery not only successfully releases the residual internal stresses accumulated from severe mechanical deformation but also substantially prolongs the grain elongation and improves microstructural homogeneity. In summary, the PLUVAT process achieves deep and precise suppression of subsurface damage by optimizing the particle fracture modes at the micro-scale and inducing matrix microstructural recovery and recrystallization. This study clarifies the intrinsic mechanical and physical interactions between external coupled energy fields and complex heterogeneous materials, providing crucial theoretical support and frontier technical guidance for the precision manufacturing of high-performance SiCp/Al composite components.

Key words

SiCp/Al composites / pulsed laser-ultrasonic vibration-assisted cutting (PLUVAT) / subsurface damage / SEM / EBSD technique / KAM

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REN Jianxin, YU Baojun, ZHANG Cuicui, ZHOU Yan, GU Yan, LIN Jieqiong. Formation and Suppression Mechanism of Subsurface Damage in SiCp/Al Composites via Pulsed Laser-ultrasonic Vibration-assisted Cutting[J]. Surface Technology. 2026, 55(16): 82-97

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