Abstract
The unlubricated sliding wear of an alumina-silicon carbide whisker composite (20 volume percent whiskers) has been investigated in air at 20, 400, and 800°C. Mild wear was observed in room-temperature pin-on-disc tests at sliding velocities of 0.1 and 0.5 mis for contact stresses up to 75 MPa. At a velocity of 0.5 mis and a contact stress of 50 MPa, a transition to severe wear occurs after 6 to 8 km of sliding. Severe wear begins within the first kilometer of sliding at 400°C, while at 800°C mild wear results at stresses as great as 150 MPa. The severe wear debris produced at 400°C was examined by analytical electron microscopy (AEM) techniques and found to consist primarily of particles of Al<¿0^ and SiC in the 10- to 50-nm-size range. The mild wear process at 800°C did not produce any significant debris, but did show evidence of surface chemical reaction. Auger analysis of the surface showed the wear track to be covered by a mixture of aluminum and silicon oxides and the exposed silicon carbide whisker surfaces to be oxidized.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 331-338 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Tribology Transactions |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 1989 |
Funding
C. E. QeYorc fnr rhccxmtion nf thc u.mtes ts, R. A. Padp ell Sor Auger analvsis. and I:. ,I. McHargue, 1" JJ.B Iau, and 1. R. Kciser Fr~rt heir pnmpt and thoroitgh review of thc manuscript. Appreciation is rlsn ex~enderlt o C. A. Valen-tine for linal prcparatinn oi the document and artention to a rnvtiad of asmiated dttails. 't'l~is rescarch was sponsor& bv the Office of Encr~y Ulilimtion Rcrwatrh, E n c r p Chnvcmion and Ut ilirat ion 'Seclino3~~e(Er CUT) Program, U.S. Department ol' En- ergy under contract DE-AC05-H40R? 1400 with Mari~n Marietta E n e r p Svstems. Inc.