Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Ceramic Protection Corporation, 3905 32nd St. N.E., Calgary, Alta., Canada T1Y 7C1
Received 11 September 2000; received in revised form 5 February 2001; accepted 19 June 2001
Abstract
Engineering ceramics have a high application potential for wear-protection of different working parts used for extraction, processing,
conveying, anddust collectionequipment inminingandmineral industries, as well as some structural rotatingparts. The highalumina (Al
2
O
3
content from 91 to 99.5 wt.%), aluminazirconia, zirconia, and silicon carbide-based ceramics (ABSC) have been studied. They have high
mechanical properties, including hardness that is greater than many processed materials, and they are able to withstand high temperatures
(greater than 1300
C) and thermal shocks. These ceramics successfully resist various solid and liquid abrasive and corrosive media
transported at high velocities and pressures, and at cavitation; they may replace hard metals widely used for wear- and corrosion-protection.
The features of the compositions, microstructure, and physical properties of these ceramics, as well as the wear resistance test results,
are discussed. The factors affecting wear resistance of ceramics are emphasized; they may be subdivided by the factors dealing with
microstructure and properties of ceramics, and by the factors dealing with application conditions (e.g. type of abrasive media, velocity,
impingement angle, and others). Wear mechanisms for dense homogeneous oxide ceramics and for coarse heterogeneous ABSC are
discussed. 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Ceramics; Wear mechanism; Microstructure
1. Introduction
Various industrial processes require the use of wear-
resistant materials to prevent or decrease wear loss and to
reduce downtime of the equipment running in contact with
abrasive environment, and also to increase the performance
and quality of the processes. Traditionally used hard irons
and steels and some polymers are quickly destroyed, espe-
cially, if the processing materials are transported in liquid
corrosive environment, at high velocities and pressures, or
if the working parts are employed at elevated temperatures
and thermal shocks. Engineering ceramics have a growing
application potential for the wear- and corrosion-protection
of different working parts of extraction, processing, con-
veying, dust collection equipment, and piping systems in
mining and mineral industries. They have to serve in con-
tact with hard abrasive particles, and in many cases, in
strong corrosive environment, owing at high velocities and
pressures. Different ceramic parts (bearings, valves, seats,
cable-, wire-, and thread-guides, dies, and some others), as
well as prosthesis and dental ceramics, are subjected contin-
C in gas
Fig. 1. Diagram of ASTM B611 west slurry abrasion test.
kilns. In some cases, the red products are machined to
achieve a high dimensional tolerance. The manufacturing
processes for each particular ceramic have been developed
and optimized.
2.2. Testing
The test samples with the required dimensions for each
particular test were cut from the test tiles with the size
100 mm100 mm(815) mm or with bigger dimensions
manufactured by the methods mentioned above. Density was
measured using the water immersion method based on the
Archimedes law. Three- or four-point exural strength was
tested in accordance with ASTM C1161. Youngs modulus
was tested by ultrasonic technique measuring the ultrasonic
velocity in accordance with ASTM C885 and ASTM C769.
Vickers hardness was tested in accordance with ASTM
C1327 under the load of 10 kg. Fracture toughness was also
tested using the indentation technique under the same load.
Microstructure and phase composition were studied using
transmission and scanning electron microscopes, and X-ray
analysis (Figs. 1 and 2).
Wear resistance was tested in accordance with ASTM
B611 and ASTM G65 (see diagram). Wet slurry abrasion
test ASTM B611 consists of the continuing action of the
hard abrasive media (30-mesh alumina grit with water) that
is supplied between the sample and the rotating steel wheel.
The testing time is 400 revolutions. In dry sand rubber
wheel test ASTM G65 (procedure A), the abrasive media
(4070-mesh silica sand) is continuously supplied between
the sample and the rotating rubber lined wheel. The testing
time is 6000 revolutions. In both cases, the weight loss is
calculated after the test, and the volume loss is subsequently
calculated (weight loss divided by density). As volume loss
is less, wear resistance is higher. Also, the slurry jet ero-
sion testing was carried out at different impingement angles
E. Medvedovski / Wear 249 (2001) 821828 823
Fig. 2. Diagram of ASTM G65 dry sand rubber wheel test.
(20, 45, and 90
8
2
8
E. Medvedovski / Wear 249 (2001) 821828 825
The aluminazirconia ceramics AZ based on the opti-
mized ratio between alumina and zirconia does not have a
glassy phase; the zirconia tetragonal crystals with a size less
than 1 m are uniformly distributed between the corundum
crystals with a size 13 m. This uniform microcrystalline
and glassy-free microstructure strongly affects physical
properties of the ceramics; the combination of positive
properties of the constituents results in the superior data
(Table 1). For example, Vickers hardness HV10 of high alu-
mina and zirconia ceramics is in the range of 12501500,
but the AZ ceramics demonstrates HV10 greater than 1550.
Fracture toughness K
Ic
of the AZ ceramics is still less than
zirconia ceramics, but it is greater than alumina ceramics.
The partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) ceramics man-
ufactured from the sub-micron starting zirconia powders
have very uniform microstructure. They are formed with
crystals with a size 0.31.0 m for Y
2
O
3
PSZ and 510 m
for MgOPSZ ceramics. The PSZ ceramics have superior
mechanical properties at ambient and elevated temperatures
over 1000
C) (1/
C) (6.06.5) 10
6
(6.06.5) 10
6
(6.06.5) 10
6
(6.06.5) 10
6
Thermal conductivity (20300
C) (W/m
is approx-
imately 23 times less than at 45
the greater
damage was related to the pitting, the bigger cavities for-
mation, and the grain pullout. In both cases, the cracking
and wear started from the glassy phase, but at 90
the
damage was signicantly stronger. These test results cor-
relate well with the literature data [3,5] and with the eld
studies.
The relationship between wear resistance of ceramics
and their structure and properties has many features [27].
Wear resistance of dense ceramics depends on such physi-
cal properties as hardness, fracture toughness, exural and
impact strength, Youngs modulus, as well as the features of
phase composition and microstructure. Hardness and frac-
ture toughness may be considered as the dominant physical
properties; however, only the combination of all properties
and microstructural features should be taken into consid-
eration. Ceramics should have microcrystalline structure
formed by crystals with high hardness. If ceramics has a
glassy phase, this glassy phase should have high mechani-
cal properties, and the ratio between crystalline and glassy
phases should be optimized. A presence of the secondary
crystalline phase reinforcing the boundary glassy phase
improves wear resistance. Regarding the heterogeneous ce-
ramics, the hardness and fracture toughness values of the
principal crystals and the bonding phase are important. The
level of densication and the composition of the ceramic
surface strongly affect wear resistance. Microstructure (a
size of principal crystals, a particle size distribution and a
particles compaction, the bonding phase distribution, poros-
ity, etc.) and phase composition (mostly, the quantity of
the principal phase provided high wear resistance and the
bonding phase composition) are other factors affecting wear
resistance of heterogeneous ceramics. The volume fraction
of the coarse particles with the highest hardness should
be maximized. A particle compaction and densication
should be maximized, i.e. the ratio between particles with
different sizes should be optimized. The surface quality of
ceramics affects wear resistance of all kinds of ceramics.
As practical experience shows, high surface quality ceram-
ics, especially ceramics with ground or polished surface
demonstrate higher wear resistance due to lower contacting
area between ceramics and acting abrasive media and lower
local turbulence at the surface.
4. Conclusion
The compositions, microstructure, and properties of the
developed and manufactured alumina, aluminazirconia,
zirconia, and ABSC used for wear-protection have been
studied. This ceramics demonstrate a high level of me-
chanical properties, including hardness, and excellent wear
resistance. The wear test results and the wear mechanisms
for the studied dense homogeneous and coarse-grained
heterogeneous ceramics are discussed. The main factors
affecting wear resistance of ceramics are emphasized. They
include the features of the application conditions and the
factors related to properties and microstructure of ceramics.
Only the combination of all properties and microstructural
features should be taken into consideration during the eval-
uation and choosing of ceramics for wear-protection. The
studied ceramics are successfully used for wear-protection
of different working parts in mining and mineral industries
and structural components.
Acknowledgements
Wear resistance and some mechanical properties testing
support provided by Alberta Research Council, Edmonton,
and NRC Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Institute
(Dr. Rees J. Llewellyn), Vancouver, is appreciated greatly.
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