Abrasion of Al2O3–SiC–(Al, Si) composites made by melt oxidation

We report here the remarkable abrasion wear resistance (normal pressure: 2.92 to 5.42 MPa; sliding speed: 0.25 to 3 m/s) of a soft (relative to other structural ceramics) melt-oxidized ceramic matrix composite Al2O3 –SiC–(Al, Si). In spite of being half as hard and more porous than zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA), a common cutting tool material, this composite fabricated at 1100 °C shows wear resistance comparable to that of ZTA at sliding speeds more than 2 m/s. The ability of this composite to generate a metal-rich tribofilm when rubbed and its high thermal shock resistance are factors which may be responsible for this unique performance.