Friction and wear measurement of ceramics in abrasive conditions

Friction and wear properties of ceramics were measured in water and in ethanol according to the ball-on-disk method with a steel ball. Silicon carbide grains were dispersed in water or ethanol to investigate its abrasive effects, The coefficient of friction slightly decreased in water and much in ethanol compared with that in air. The change of friction behavior due to silicon carbide addition was almost negligible, The wear of the steel ball was nearly identical in air and in water, but greatly decreased in ethanol, Abrasive addition increased the steel ball wear, particularly when harder SiC or Al2O3 disk was used, The wear behavior of the ceramic disk was also greatly promoted by abrasive addition in mater and in ethanol.