WEAR MAPS OF TZP STEEL RECIPROCATING SLIDING COUPLE UNDER DRY SLIDING/

The wear mechanisms of HP sintered 3Y-TZP ceramics under different sli ding conditions were investigated in this paper. The tribological test s were carried out under dry reciprocating sliding using GCr15 steel b all on 3Y-TZP ceramic disk geometries at ambient temperature. The load varied from 2 N to 100 N and the speed varied from 0.01 m s(-1) to 0. 4 m s(-1). Wide ranges of normal loads and sliding speeds were chosen in order to investigate the relationship between the tribological perf ormance of 3Y-TZP ceramics and the testing conditions. Different wear regions were identified as a function of normal load and speed. The we ar surfaces and wear debris were carefully examined by scanning electr on microscopy. It is suggested that the mild wear and severe wear of 3 Y-TZP ceramics are related to plastic deformation with microcracking a nd surface fracture with abrasion respectively. At very high normal lo ad and sliding speed, negative wear of 3Y-TZP ceramics takes place due to steel transfer which is caused by strong adherence between 3Y-TZP ceramics and GCr15 steel ball. The wear mechanisms of 3Y-TZP ceramics at different sliding conditions are summarized by a wear transition di agram.