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Title: Surface Strength of Silicon Nitride in Relation to Rolling Contact Performance Measured on Ball-on-Rod and Modified Four-Ball Tests

Abstract

Silicon nitride (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) has been used in various rolling contact applications in turbomachinery, automotive and power industry. It is favoured to replace conventional steel due to its low density, low friction, corrosion resistance and good performance under extreme condition. However, a major limitation of its wider application is its high material and machining cost, especially the cost associated with the finishing process. In the present study, a low cost sintered and reaction bonded silicon nitride (SRBSN) is used to study the surface machining effects on its rolling contact performance. Attempt has been made to link the surface strengths of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} derived from half-rod and C-sphere flexure strength specimens to the rolling contact lifetimes of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} rod and ball specimens. The rolling contact fatigue tests are carried out on ball-on-rod and modified four ball machines. Three types of surfaces with coarse, fine and conventional finishing conditions are examined. Flexure strength tests on half-rod and C-sphere show an increasing surface strength from specimens with coarse, fine to conventionally machined conditions. During rolling contact fatigue test of as-machined specimens, there are no failures observed on both ball-on-rod and four ball tests after 100 million stress cycles. However,more » there is a trend of decreasing wear volumes measured on the contact path of rods and balls with coarse, fine and conventional conditions. In four ball test, spall failures are observed on pre-crack specimens. There is a trend of increasing rolling contact fatigue lifetime from pre-cracked specimens with coarse, fine to conventional machining conditions.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. ORNL
  2. Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, United Kingdom
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
OSTI Identifier:
1049171
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Tribology International
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 43; Journal Issue: 1-2; Journal ID: ISSN 0301-679X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; CORROSION RESISTANCE; FRICTION; LIFETIME; MACHINING; PERFORMANCE; ROLLING; SILICON NITRIDES; STEELS; TURBOMACHINERY

Citation Formats

Wang, Wei, Hadfield, M., and Wereszczak, Andrew A. Surface Strength of Silicon Nitride in Relation to Rolling Contact Performance Measured on Ball-on-Rod and Modified Four-Ball Tests. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1016/j.triboint.2009.07.005.
Wang, Wei, Hadfield, M., & Wereszczak, Andrew A. Surface Strength of Silicon Nitride in Relation to Rolling Contact Performance Measured on Ball-on-Rod and Modified Four-Ball Tests. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2009.07.005
Wang, Wei, Hadfield, M., and Wereszczak, Andrew A. 2010. "Surface Strength of Silicon Nitride in Relation to Rolling Contact Performance Measured on Ball-on-Rod and Modified Four-Ball Tests". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2009.07.005.
@article{osti_1049171,
title = {Surface Strength of Silicon Nitride in Relation to Rolling Contact Performance Measured on Ball-on-Rod and Modified Four-Ball Tests},
author = {Wang, Wei and Hadfield, M. and Wereszczak, Andrew A},
abstractNote = {Silicon nitride (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) has been used in various rolling contact applications in turbomachinery, automotive and power industry. It is favoured to replace conventional steel due to its low density, low friction, corrosion resistance and good performance under extreme condition. However, a major limitation of its wider application is its high material and machining cost, especially the cost associated with the finishing process. In the present study, a low cost sintered and reaction bonded silicon nitride (SRBSN) is used to study the surface machining effects on its rolling contact performance. Attempt has been made to link the surface strengths of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} derived from half-rod and C-sphere flexure strength specimens to the rolling contact lifetimes of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} rod and ball specimens. The rolling contact fatigue tests are carried out on ball-on-rod and modified four ball machines. Three types of surfaces with coarse, fine and conventional finishing conditions are examined. Flexure strength tests on half-rod and C-sphere show an increasing surface strength from specimens with coarse, fine to conventionally machined conditions. During rolling contact fatigue test of as-machined specimens, there are no failures observed on both ball-on-rod and four ball tests after 100 million stress cycles. However, there is a trend of decreasing wear volumes measured on the contact path of rods and balls with coarse, fine and conventional conditions. In four ball test, spall failures are observed on pre-crack specimens. There is a trend of increasing rolling contact fatigue lifetime from pre-cracked specimens with coarse, fine to conventional machining conditions.},
doi = {10.1016/j.triboint.2009.07.005},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1049171}, journal = {Tribology International},
issn = {0301-679X},
number = 1-2,
volume = 43,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010}
}