Recent advances in polishing of advanced materials

This article discusses the recent advances in polishing of advanced materials. Ninety-five journal articles published in 2005-2007 are briefly introduced. The topics are advances in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), fluids for polishing, modeling of polishing, polishing of brittle materials, robotic polishing, polishing with vibrations or beams, and friction in polishing processes. CMP is perhaps the hottest research topic in the articles reviewed. Many noncontact processes are developed using magnetic fluids, electrorheological fluids, and abrasive flow for polishing of complicated geometries or difficult-to-approach regions. Modeling of polishing processes helps to understand the polishing mechanisms and is thus increasingly performed worldwide. More research on simulations of polishing processes can be expected in the near future. Polishing of brittle materials is also highly demanded. Automatic polishing of curved surfaces using robots and CNC machines, and polishing with vibrations and beams are promising. Investigations of friction in polishing processes help to understand the polishing mechanisms or control the polishing processes.