Microstructure and abrasive wear in silicon nitride ceramics

Conference · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 2001 · Wear

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1648(01)00649-4· OSTI ID:900481

Dogan, Cynthia P; Hawk, Jeffrey A

It is well known that abrasive wear resistance is not strictly a materials property, but also depends upon the specific conditions of the wear environment. Nonetheless, characteristics of the ceramic microstructure do influence its hardness and fracture toughness and must, therefore, play an active role in determining howa ceramic will respond to the specific stress states imposed upon it by the wear environment. In this study, the ways in which composition and microstructure influence the abrasive wear behavior of six commercially-produced silicon nitride based ceramics are examined. Results indicate that microstructural parameters, such as matrix grain size and orientation, porosity, and grain boundary microstructure, and thermal expansion mismatch stresses created as the result of second phase formation, influence the wear rate through their effect on wear sheet formation and subsurface fracture. It is also noted that the potential impact of these variables on the wear rate may not be reflected in conventional fracture toughness measurements.

• Research Organization: Albany Research Center (ARC), Albany, OR
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE - Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
• OSTI ID: 900481
• Report Number(s): DOE/ARC-2001-022
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Wear Journal Issue: 1-12 Journal Volume: 250
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ABRASIVES
CERAMICS
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
GRAIN SIZE
HARDNESS
MICROSTRUCTURE
ORIENTATION
POROSITY
SILICON NITRIDES
STRESSES
THERMAL EXPANSION
WEAR RESISTANCE
abrasive wear
composition
microstructure
silicon nitride