• Proceedings of the Korea Committee for Ocean Resources and Engineering Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.23-28
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• 2002

This paper describes the machining characteristics of the $MoSi_2$ based composites by electric discharge drilling with various tubular electrodes, besides, Hardness characteristics and microstructures of $Nb/MoSi_2$ laminate composites were evaluated from the variation of fabricating conditions such as preparation temperature, applied pressure and pressure holding time. $MoSi_2$ -based composites has been developed in new materials for jet engine of supersonic-speed airplanes and gas turbine for high- temperature generator. Achieving this objective may require new hard materials with high strength and high temperature-resistance. However, With the exception of grinding, traditional machining methods are not applicable to these new materials. Electric discharge machining (EDM) is a thermal process that utilizes a spark discharge to melt a conductive material, the tool electrode being almost non-unloaded, because there is no direct contact between the tool electrode and the workpiece. By combining a nonconducting ceramics with more conducting ceramic it was possible to raise the electrical conductivity. From experimental results, it was found that the lamination from Nb sheet and $MoSi_2$ powder was an excellent strategy to improve hardness characteristics of monolithic $MoSi_2$. However, interfacial reaction products like (Nb, Mo)$SiO_2$ and $Nb_2Si_3$ formed at the interface of $Nb/MoSi_2$ and increased with fabricating temperature. $MoSi_2$ composites which a hole drilling was not possible by the conventional machining process, enhanced the capacity of ED-drilling by adding $NbSi_2$ relative to that of SiC or $ZrO_2$ reinforcements.