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Nano-sized mullite was synthesized by mechano-chemical, sol-gel/milling, process. Aluminum nitrate and tetraethyl ortho silicate were used as precursors to prepare the single phase gel. The prepared gel was subjected to intense mechanical activation using a planetary ball mill prior to annealing. DTA/TGA results showed that mullitization temperature significantly decreases due to mechanical activation as mullite starts to form at 1094°C in unmilled sample whereas intermediate milling for 20 hours decreases this temperature to 988°C. Also, mullite formation occurs at 1021 and 1003°C for samples milled for 5 and 10 hours, respectively. SEM results showed that the morphology of the products was altered by the intermediate mechanical activation. Calculation of the mullite crystallite sizes indicated that they were indeed in nano scale and this result was confirmed by TEM investigations which shows the mean crystallite size of 70 nm.

In developing a new milling technique that can produce high precision, smoothness, and gloss on nickel workpiece surfaces, a widely used material is in industrial applications, particularly in mold manufacturing, in which the production requires exceptionally high accuracy. In this work, the factors influencing the magnetic material milling process are determined by investigating the distribution of magnetic iron (MIGs) and abrasive grains (AGs) in the working surface of magnetic liquid slurry (MLS). The magnetic liquid slurry (MLS) contained commercially available MIGs successfully applied for milling the surface of magnetic materials with extremely high accuracy. Surface roughness ($\mathrm{\text{Ra}}=0.592$ nm) without leaving scratches on the surface after milling.

The capability of using Focused Ion Beam (FIB) for milling microchannels is experimentally and theoretically investigated. Microchannel structures are fabricated by a NanoFab 150 FIB machine, using an Arsenic (As²⁺) ion source. A beam current of 5 pA at 90 keV accelerating energy is used. Several microchannel patternings are milled at various dwell times at pixel spacing of 14.5 nm on top of a 60 nm gold-coated silicon wafer. An analytical/numerical model is developed to predict the FIB milling behavior. By comparing with the experimental measurements, the model predictions have been demonstrated to be reliable for guiding and controlling the milling processes.

Manufacturing industries are rapidly growing with varying customer needs, and efficient quality control tools are widely used to optimize product/process performances. This paper highlights the modified quality control module to optimize the milling performances of polymer nanocomposites. The carbon fabric and reduced graphene oxide reinforced (CF/rGO) polymer composites are machined at varying process constraints. The experimentation was designed according to Taguchi’s orthogonal array. The Milling performances were optimized using a multi-criterion decision-making (MCDM) tool based on a combination distance-based assessment (CODAS) optimization method. The desired value of surface roughness (Ra) and cutting force (Fc) is examined during the machining of the developed polymer. CODAS optimization module efficiently combined the various contradictory parametric outcomes into a single objective assessment value (Hi), which could not be possible by utilizing the usual conventional Taguchi method. Specifically, the optimal machining conditions were found to be rGO wt.%—1, speed—2000rpm, feed—80mm/min, DoC—1.5mm. Overall, the findings demonstrate the practicality of the recommended MCDM tool, which outperformed the usual conventional Taguchi method. The optimal assessment score of CODAS was noted as 1.904, which confirms the better viability of the current MCDM approach. This study contributes to the advancement of efficient quality control tools that can be widely used to optimize product/process performances in manufacturing industries.