Edged ceramic member and a method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A ceramic member is constituted with a zirconia-containing ceramic material containing 20% by volume or more of a zirconia series ceramic phase mainly composed of a zirconium oxide. The zirconia-containing ceramic material satisfies: KC /( d A )≧5 by using an exponential value A set within a range from −0.41 to −0.37 width, d being an average grain size (unit: μm) and KC being a fracture toughness value (unit: MPa·m 1/2 ). An edge portion appearing in the form of a ridge is formed at an intersection between two edge forming surfaces 4 a and 5 to the outer surface of the member, and the edge portion is formed as a sharp edge portion E having a width w of 0.15 mm or less for the top end of the edge appearing on a cross section taken along an arbitrary plane in perpendicular to the direction of the ridge.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An edged ceramic member comprising a zirconia-containing ceramic material containing 20% by volume or more of a zirconia series ceramic phase mainly composed of a zirconium oxide, in which: 
 the zirconia-containing ceramic material satisfies:      KC /( d   A )≧5    where the exponential value A is a number set within the range if from −0.41 to −0.37, d being the average grain size in μm and KC being the fracture toughness value in MPa·m 1/2  thereof;    the member comprising one or more edge portions, each present in the form of a ridge at an intersection between two edge forming surfaces, wherein at least one of the edge portions is formed as a sharp edge portion having a top end width for the edge of 0.15 mm or less present on a cross section taken along an arbitrary plane perpendicular to the direction of the ridge.    
     
     
         2 . An edged ceramic member as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the surface roughness of the sharp edge portion at the top end of the edge has a maximum height of 70 μm or less as measured in the direction of the ridge.  
     
     
         3 . An edged ceramic member as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the proportion of zirconia series ceramic phase in the zirconia-containing ceramic material is from 60 to 98.5% by volume.  
     
     
         4 . An edged ceramic member as defined in  claim 1 , wherein one or more of Ca, Y, Ce and Mg are contained as a stabilizing ingredient for the zirconia series ceramic phase within a range from 1.4 to 4 mol % as a proportion of the total of the content in the zirconia series ceramic phase, being expressed as the value of an oxide, that is, of CaO for Ca, Y 2 O 3  for Y, CeO 2  for Ce and MgO for Mg.  
     
     
         5 . An edged ceramic member as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the ratio CW/TW between the weight CW for the cubic system phase and the weight TW for the tetragonal system phase in the zirconia ceramic phase is less than 1.  
     
     
         6 . An edged ceramic member as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the zirconia-containing ceramic material is a composite ceramic material in which the matrix ceramic phase constituting a remaining portion of the zirconia series ceramic phase mainly comprises an electroconductive inorganic compound having at least one of Ti, Zr, Nb, Ta and W as the metal cationic ingredient and/or alumina.  
     
     
         7 . An edged ceramic member as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the electroconductive inorganic compound is at least one of metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal borides, metal carbonitrides and tungsten carbide having at least one of Ti, Zr, Nb and Ta as the metal cationic ingredient.  
     
     
         8 . An edged ceramic member as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the edged ceramic member is a ceramic working tool for use in shearing, cutting, bending or deep drawing by using the sharp edge portion as a portion for applying a working force.  
     
     
         9 . An edged ceramic member as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the ceramic working tool is a punching tool for manufacturing lead frames.  
     
     
         10 . A punch for manufacturing lead frames said punch comprising an edge portion formed at an intersection between the top end surface of the punch and the outer peripheral surface of the punch, a top end of the punch at least including the edge portion thereof comprises a material with a relative density of 98% or more and satisfying:  
         KC /( d   A )≧5  
       where the exponential value A is a number set within the range of from −0.41 to −0.37, d being the average grain size in μm and KC being the fracture toughness value in MPa·m 1/2 , which material is a zirconia series ceramic phase mainly composed of a zirconium oxide, and the volumic content ratio of the zirconia series ceramic phase mainly composed of a zirconium oxide is from 60 to 98.5% by volume, and wherein 
 said edge portion is formed as a sharp edge portion having a top end width for the edge of 0.15 mm or less present on a cross section taken along an arbitrary plane perpendicular to the direction of the ridge.  
 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing lead frames comprising the steps of: 
 disposing a metal plate blank between a punch constituted as a member as defined in  claim 1 , and a punching die having a die hole; and    advancing the punching punch in this state in the axial direction relatively into the die hole, thereby shearing the metal plate blank between the edge portion of the punch and the inner circumferential edge portion of the die hole to manufacture the lead frames.    
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing an edged ceramic member comprising the step of: 
 applying grinding to the outer surface of a zirconia-containing ceramic material containing 20% by volume or more of a zirconia series ceramic phase mainly composed of a zirconium oxide and satisfying:      KC /( d   A )≧5    where the exponential value A is a number set within the range of from −0.41 to −0.37, d being the average grain size in μm and KC being the fracture toughness value in MPa·m 1/2  of the material, thereby forming a sharp edge portion present in the form of a ridge at an intersection between two edge forming surfaces having a top end width for the edge of 0.15 mm or less present on a cross section taken along an arbitrary plane perpendicular to the direction of the ridge and having a maximum height of 70 μm or less as the surface roughness on the top end surface of the edge as measured in the direction of the ridge.    
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing an edged ceramic member comprising the steps of: 
 applying grinding to the outer surface of a zirconia-containing ceramic material containing 20% by volume or more of a zirconia series ceramic phase mainly composed of a zirconium oxide thereby forming one or more edge portions present in the form of a ridge at an intersection between two edge forming surfaces; and    measuring an average grain size d in μm and a fracture toughness value KC in MPa·m 1/2  of the zirconia-containing ceramic material before grinding, and then applying grinding only to the zirconia-containing ceramic material having d and KC satisfying:    ti  KC /( d   A )≧5        where the exponential value A is a number set within the range of from −0.41 to −0.37.