In a newly developed chemical deposition process, a layer of metal cob
alt film is coated on the surface of ultrafine ceramic powders of Al2O
3 and TiC. The mixture of the two kinds of Co-coated powder (about 70
wt.%Al2O3-Co + 30 wt.%TiC-Co) is hat-pressed into advanced Al2O3-TiC-C
o (ATC) ceramic. Scanning electron microscopy observation is employed
to investigate its abrasion behavior. Relatively soft SiO2 and hard Si
C particles are used to study its abrasion wear resistance. Its high f
racture toughness of 7.9 MPa m(1/2) and bending strength of 714 MPa ar
e believed most important in making it more resistant than AT30 (Al2O3
+ 30 wt.%TiC) ceramic under different loads and with different abrada
nts. As well as the toughening effect, the refining and cladding effec
ts of cobalt metal in the matrix also make a contribution to it. The h
ardness of abrasion particles plays an important role in the test. It
is showed that the worn surface appears smooth with partly plastic def
ormation, together with the fracture surface indicating that single pa
rticle and cluster spalling are the dominant mechanisms in the wear da
mage of ATC ceramic. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.