Distinct Wear Characteristics of Submicrometer‐Grained Alumina in Air and Distilled Water: A Brief Analysis on Experimental Observation

Abstract

Sliding wear behavior of submicrometer‐grained (grain size=0.45 μm) alumina was investigated in air and distilled water and the result was compared with the wear characteristics of similar material with coarser grain sizes. Experiments were conducted with a pin‐on‐disk wear‐testing machine under identical test conditions. Alumina with submicrometer grain size exhibits substantially higher wear resistance compared with the coarser‐grained materials in both the environments. Scanning electron micrograph of the wornout samples revealed that in air, formation and subsequent degeneration of the compacted layer of wear‐debris on the sliding surface govern the wear loss. In distilled water, no compacted layer was observed and in such cases, grain pullout through coalescence of microcracks along grain boundaries was found to be the dominant mechanism of wear.

Formation and Evolution of Tribo-Layer on Al₂O₃ and Al₂O₃-Based Ceramics in Sliding against Si₃N₄ under Dry Sliding

“…Alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) and Al 2 O 3 -based ceramics are candidate wear-resistant materials for many applications [1]. In the past decades, the friction and wear behaviors of Al 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 -based ceramics in dry sliding and lubricated conditions have been extensively investigated [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Surface modification on Al 2 O 3 ceramic at tribo-interface has been recognized since 1995.…”