FRICTION AND WEAR PROPERTIES OF TIB2 SIAL ON COMPOSITE CERAMICS IN A ZINC PLATING BATH/

Friction and wear properties of TiB2/SiAlON composite ceramics slid ag ainst SiAlON ceramics were investigated in a zinc plating bath and in air. Friction coefficient of TiB2/SiAlON in a zinc plating bath was fo und to decrease monotonically from 0.5 to 0.1 when TiB2 content was in creased from 0 to 80 mass%, but it did not change in air with increasi ng TiB2 content and was about 0.5. No wear was observed for TiB2/SiAlO N although hard particles (dress) were present in the bath, because Ti B2/SiAlON were harder than the dress. Improved lubrication afforded by better wetting between TiB2/SiAlON and the molten zinc may be the pri mary cause for the reduction of friction coefficient.