Microanalytical characterization of wear damage in an alumina-silicon carbide whisker composite.

Wear damage in a silicon carbide whisker reinforced alumina composite resulting from unlubricated, self mated, pin on disk sliding in air at 800DEGREESC was characterized using scanning Auger spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Using constant bearing pressure and sliding velocity, sliding for 2 km resulted in mild wear of the disk surface on which regions of silicon oxide were formed. At a sliding distance of 5km, the wear rates measured still indicated mild wear, but pitting at the centre of the disk wear track was observed. Subsurface damage of the alumina matrix beneath the disk wear track at 5km sliding distance was characterized by transmission electron microscopy of cross sections. Wear debris observed on the wear surface was comprised of fine particulates of composition similar to that of the bulk material. The implications of the observations regarding wear mode and wear lifetime are discussed.