THE MEASUREMENT OF SLIDING FRICTION AND WEAR OF CERAMICS AT HIGH-TEMPERATURE

A wear testing system is described which can be used to carry out sliding wear tests at temperatures up to 1500 °C. The tests can be performed in air, vacuum or controlled atmospheres under applied loads in the range of 5-100 N and at speeds up to 1.5 m s-1. The relative displacement of the two specimens and the frictional load generated between the two surfaces are monitored throughout the test. Preliminary results are given of wear tests carried out at temperatures up to 1200 °C on reaction bonded silicon nitride, sintered silicon nitride, sintered silicon carbide and yttria partially stabilized zirconia. © 1990.