Preparation of the rod-shaped SiO₂@C abrasive and effects of its microstructure on the polishing of zirconia ceramics

This study aims to achieve higher-efficiency zirconia ceramic polishing demands, using a novel rod-shaped SiO₂@C abrasive that was synthesized by a simple three-step method. The scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy results showed that composite abrasives were rod-shaped. As confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and Raman spectra, the composite particle had a core-shell structure with a core of silica and a shell of carbon. According to the N₂ adsorption-desorption results, this composite abrasive had a mesoporous structure. The material removal rate of 242.5 nm/h and the zirconia ceramic surface roughness of 1.86 nm are 70.4% higher and 27.9% lower, respectively, than those achieved with conventional silica abrasives. The improved polishing performance may be attributed to its line contact mode, the reduction of Young's modulus and the improvement of tribochemical reaction. This study highlights the interaction between the surface microstructure of abrasives and the surface planarization of ceramics.