Fatigue life of silicon nitride balls

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Lubrication Engineering; (United States)

OSTI ID:6901758

Galbato, A T; Cundill, R T; Harris, T A ^[1]

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1. MRC Bearings, Jamestown, NY (United States) SKF Engineering and Research Center, Nieuwegein (Netherlands) Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (United States)

Because its specific weight is 40 percent that of steel, silicon nitride has been considered as a rolling element material in very high speed ball and roller bearings. Furthermore, similar to steel components, hot pressed silicon nitride rolling components, when properly manufactured, have demonstrated the capacity to fail in a non-catastrophic manner, i.e., fatigue of the rolling contact surfaces. In this investigation, hot isostatically-pressed silicon nitride balls were endurance-tested using a NASA 5-ball rig and the results were compared against similarly tested VIMVAR M50 balls. The silicon nitride balls demonstrated fatigue lives many times those obtained for the M50 balls. Therefore it is concluded that silicon nitride can be effectively employed in applications where steel rolling element life has previously proved to be a limiting factor. 12 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6901758
• Journal Information: Lubrication Engineering; (United States), Journal Name: Lubrication Engineering; (United States) Vol. 48:11; ISSN 0024-7154; ISSN LUENAG
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360203* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Mechanical Properties
BALL BEARINGS
BEARINGS
DYNAMIC LOADS
FABRICATION
FATIGUE
HOT PRESSING
MATERIALS WORKING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
PRESSING
ROLLER BEARINGS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON NITRIDES
TESTING