X-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopy analyses and tribological studies were conducted with a silicon carbide (0001) szirface in sliding contact with iron at various temperature to 1500°C in a vacuum of 1 0 nPa. The results indicate that there is a significant temperature inflzience on both the friction properties altd the szirface chemistry of silicon carbide. Graphite and carbidetype carbon are seen primarily on the silicon carbide surface in addition to silicon at temperatures to 800°C. The coflicients of friction of iron sliding against a silicon carbide (0001) surface were high at temperatures to 800°C. When the friction experiments were conducted at temperature above 800°C, the coefficients of friction were dramatically lower. At 800°C, the silicon and carbidetype carbon are at a maximum intensity in the XPS spectra. With increasing temperature above 800°C, the concentrations of the graphite increase rapidly on the surface, whereas those of the carbide-type carbon and silicon decrease rapidly. This presence of graphite is accompanied by marked decrease in friction.The higher the sliding temperature, to 800°C, the greater is the amount of metal transfer to silicon carbide. Mubiangular-and spherical-shaped fracture pits are obserued on the silicon carbide surface as a result of iron sliding. These are due to cleavage of both prismatic and basal planes, and a penny-shapped fracture along a circular stress trajectories under the local inelastic deformation zone, respectively.