EFFECT OF MICRO BLASTING PROCESS PARAMETERS ON 3D SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY AND SURFACE PROPERTIES OF ZIRCONIA (Y-TZP) CERAMICS

Abstract

The present study aims to examine the effects of operational parameters onthe surface topography and wear mechanisms of monolithic and conventionalyttria-stabilized zirconia (Y-TZP) ceramics in the micro blasting process, per-formed under various acceleration pressures (1.5–3bar), particle impact angles(30◦–90◦), and erodent particle sizes (50–460μm). Three-dimensional (3D) sur-face topography, surface roughness, and surface morphology of micro-blastedspecimens were analyzed by using non-contact optical profilometry andSEM-EDS. The micro blasting characteristics of both Y-TZP were similar thatincreased blasting pressure and erodent particle size increased surface rough-ness. Erosion rate increased with increasing blasting pressure, whereas itdecreased with increasing erodent particle size. Particle size was the most effec-tive parameter on changing surface topography, while the particle impact anglehad no distinct effect on the erosion rate, surface roughness, and surface topog-raphy of Y-TZP ceramics. SEM-EDS analyses showed that the primary wearmechanism during micro blasting was micro-cutting with a substantial amountof embedded particles on the material’s surface