9414610 Komanduri A study will be made of the tribological interactions between fine polishing abrasives and the surface of advanced ceramic materials (alumina and silicon nitride). The chemical and mechanical causes of material removal will be determined in detail to the extent possible by the use of a number of in situ measurement techniques, including tribological testing inside an environmental scanning electron microscope. The results will be used to validate models developed on the basis of fracture mechanics and thermodynamics. ***
