Electrical discharge machining of ceramic/semiconductor/metal nanocomposites

Electroconductive, homogeneous and dense ceramic/semiconductor/metal nanocomposites were obtained by hot pressing and subsequently machined by wire electrical discharge machining (EDM). The addition of semiconductor and metal phases to a high-performance ceramic material produces nanocomposites which preserve the excellent mechanical properties of the ceramic/metal material while possessing the electrical conductivity necessary for EDM. The role of the low concentration of metal has been investigated from a mechanical and an electrical point of view, and found to be critical to the final behavior.This research was supported by the European Union under the IP-NANOKER project (FP6-515784- 2), by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science under the project MAT2006-10249-C02-01.Peer reviewe