ABRASIVE WEAR OF AL2O3-SIC COMPOSITES

Al2O3-SiC composites containing 0-40 vol% SiC particles were prepared by hot-pressing. With an increase in SiC particle content, the hardness and fracture toughness of Al2O3-SiC composites increased from 17.1 to 24.4 GPa and from 4.2 to 4.5 MPa.m1/2, respectively. Abrasive wear tests for SiC, Al2O3, Si3N4, TZP and alpha + beta-Sialon as well as Al2O3-SiC composites were carried out using SiC and Al2O3 abrasive papers. The volume wear rate was inversely proportional to the hardness and the fracture toughness of the materials. Al2O3-SiC composites containing more than 20 vol% SiC particles showed better abrasion resistance than those of SiC, Al2O3, Si3N4 and TZP.