Author:

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Technology, Materials Science, Multidisciplinary, Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science, ZrO2 composite, WC-Co cemented carbide, Wire-EDM, Dry reciprocating sliding wear, TRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES, UNLUBRICATED FRICTION, ZRO2-WC COMPOSITES, GRAIN-SIZE, Y-TZP, MICROSTRUCTURE, ALUMINA, PHASE, TRANSFORMATION, TRANSITIONS, 0912 Materials Engineering, Materials, 4016 Materials engineering

Abstract:

The tribological characteristics of hot pressed zirconia-based composites containing 40 vol.% of WC, TiC0.5N0.5 or TiN and surface finished by electrical discharge machining (EDM) were evaluated by performing linearly reciprocating pin-on-flat sliding experiments against WC-Co cemented carbide under unlubricated conditions. The wear tests were executed on a Plint TE77 tribometer using normal contact loads of 15 N up to 35 N and a sliding velocity of 0.3 m/s. The ZrO2-40 vol.% WC grade displayed an undoubtedly better wear resistance compared to the ZrO2-40 vol.% TiCN and ZrO2-40 vol.% TiN composites. The morphology of the worn surfaces and the wear debris was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), revealing several wear mechanisms such as polishing and abrasion, mainly depending on the imposed contact load and the material composition. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.