|
TRIBOLOGICAL STUDIES IN CERAMIC COMPOSITES
ABSTRACT. THE SILICON NITRIDE BASED CERAMIC COMPOSITES ARE BEING USED IN APPLICATIONS INVOLVING TRIBOLOGICAL CONTACTS SUBJECTED TO EXTREME CONDITIONS OF SLIDING SPEED AND TEMPERATURE. I.E., IN CUTTING TOOLS APPLICATIONS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESENT WORK WAS, THEREFORE, TO STUDY OF THE TRIBOLOGICAL HEHAVIOUR AND QUANTIFICATION OF THE FRICTION AND WEAR COEFFICIENTS IN SILICON NITRIDE BASED CERAMIC COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH SILICON CARBIDE WHISKERS, SPECIALLY WHEN IN SLIDING AGAINST IRON ALLOYS. THE OBTAINED RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE WEAR RESITANCE IN CERAMIC COMPOSITES IS CONTROLLED BY THE SPECIFIC MASS, BECAUSE THE POROSITY LEADS, IN GENERAL, A DRASTIC INCREASE OF WEAR DUE SMALL MECHANICAL RESISTANCE.
KEY-WORDS: WEAR, FRICTION, CERAMIC COMPOSITES, SILICON NITRIDE, WHISKERS
|
