The unique material nature (e.g. hard, brittle, heterogeneous and orthotropic) of SiC-based Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) highly affects the outcomes of machining process by inducing high thermo-mechanical loads during material removal. This can result in severe material damage which in turn causes a reduction of the in-service life of critical structural ceramic components (such as in aero-engines or nuclear reactors). In this study, the phenomenon by which the material removal mechanism during drilling influences the CMC surface integrity are discussed by characterising the fracture and deformation phenomena on the CMC's constituents - i.e. SiC and Si materials. Moreover, the strain induced to the surface, together with the changes in chemical composition are characterised via micro Raman spectroscopy and related to the principles of residual stresses upon cutting. This results in a novel understanding of the material removal process that governs cutting of SiC-based CMCs while emphasising how the different microstructure, morphology and nature of ceramics behave under the same cutting conditions. This study has therefore led to a comprehension of how the microstructure of complex hierarchical ceramic materials such as SiC/SiC CMCs is affected by a mechanical cutting process and opens avenues to understand the structure damage under other machining operations (e.g. milling, grinding).

SiC基陶瓷基复合材料（CMC）的独特材料性质（例如，坚硬，脆性，非均质和正交各向异性）会在材料去除过程中产生较高的热机械负荷，从而极大地影响加工过程的结果。这可能导致严重的材料损坏，进而导致关键结构陶瓷组件（例如航空发动机或核反应堆）的使用寿命缩短。在这项研究中，通过表征CMC成分（即SiC和Si材料）的断裂和变形现象，探讨了钻孔过程中的材料去除机理影响CMC表面完整性的现象。而且，在表面产生的应变 通过显微拉曼光谱表征化学成分的变化，并与切削时残余应力的原理有关。这使人们对控制SiC基CMC切割的材料去除过程有了新的认识，同时强调了在相同的切割条件下陶瓷的不同微观结构，形态和性质如何表现。因此，这项研究使人们理解了复杂的分级陶瓷材料（例如SiC / SiC CMC）的微观结构如何受到机械切割工艺的影响，并为了解其他加工操作（例如铣削，磨削）下的结构损坏开辟了道路。这使人们对控制SiC基CMC切割的材料去除过程有了新的认识，同时强调了在相同的切割条件下陶瓷的不同微观结构，形态和性质如何表现。因此，这项研究使人们理解了复杂的分级陶瓷材料（例如SiC / SiC CMC）的微观结构如何受到机械切割工艺的影响，并为了解其他加工操作（例如铣削，磨削）下的结构损坏开辟了道路。这使人们对控制SiC基CMC切割的材料去除过程有了新的认识，同时强调了在相同的切割条件下陶瓷的不同微观结构，形态和性质如何表现。因此，这项研究使人们理解了复杂的分级陶瓷材料（例如SiC / SiC CMC）的微观结构如何受到机械切割工艺的影响，并为了解其他加工操作（例如铣削，磨削）下的结构损坏开辟了道路。