Friction and wear of Y-TZP and Y-TZP-Al2O3 ceramics in high-speed sliding on steel

The processes of wear of tetragonal zirconia-based ceramics partially stabilized with yttrium oxide (Y-TZP) are studied during dry high-speed sliding in pin-on-disk pairs at sliding velocities up to 47 m/s. It is shown that these wear tests produce tribolayers of intricate composition on the surface of the Y-TZP and Y-TZP-Al2O3 ceramic materials, inducing nonmonotonous wear-rate changes. The normal wear changes into disastrous highly intensive wear at the first stage when the sliding accelerates (from 0.1 to 4 m/s). At the second stage (in the velocity range from 6 to 47 m/s) the wear rate drops almost to its initial value, typical of slow sliding velocities (0.1 m/s). In this velocity range, the friction of the Y-TZP and Y-TZP-Al2O3 ceramics is almost wearless.