Viscosity behavior of magnetic suspensions in fluid-assisted finishing

Magnetic fluid-assisted finishing has been verified both theoretically and experimentally as an effective fabrication technology for optical mirrors and lenses. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel design of polishing tool and demonstrate the possible applications of this technology. The work includes studying the viscosity of the magnetic suspensions of micrometer-sized Carbonyl iron particles under the influence of a magnetic field. Both the cases of magnetizable suspension with and without abrasive cerium oxide particles are studied for their ensuing polishing effectiveness. Determination of material removal function is conducted using a Wyko Nat1100 interferometer. Experiments to reduce surface roughness with the proposed tool are also performed using a K9 mirror as the work-piece. Results show that the surface accuracy is improved over three times to less than 0.5 nm after two cycles of polishing.