An interactive water lubrication mechanism of ?-LiAlSi2O6 glass-ceramics in friction and wear

Anti-attrition and water lubrication are two areas where ceramics are widely applied. In comparison to pure ceramics, glass-ceramic composite materials are more accessible to machine and manufacture into water lubrication kits. However, current water lubrication theories are mainly applied to ceramic materials such as SiC, Si3N4, Al2O3 and ZrO2. Glass-ceramic water lubrication mechanisms are not involved, in particular, the specific development process of low friction glass-ceramics in the water environment is yet unknown, which limits the application of glass-ceramics. As a result, we developed custom-made gamma-LiAlSi2O6 glass-ceramics for a ball and a wafer that were utilized to conduct friction and wear tests. By contrasting the dry and wet friction coefficients between the ball and the wafer, abrasion losses and surface roughnesses of glass-ceramics, particle size distribution and zeta potential of wear debris over time, the water lubrication mechanisms of glass-ceramics in three different friction stages were clarified, the interactive lubrication effects of the electrical double layer and the dynamic fluid pressure ensure that the wet friction coefficient of the glass-ceramics is constant below 0.02.