Cynthia P. Dogan

Influence of whisker toughening and microstructure on the wear behavior of Si3N4- and Al2O3-matrix composites reinforced with SiC

A comparative study of the influence of randomly-oriented SiC whiskers on the abrasive wear behavior of several commercially-produced Si3N4- and Al2O3-based ceramics suggested that the residual stress states present within the materials can be important in predicting their wear resistance. The addition of SiC whiskers to the Si3N4 matrix created residual tensile stresses at the whisker-matrix interfaces which led to enhanced bulk fracture toughness, but which degraded the fracture toughness at the microstructural level, and thus the abrasive wear resistance, by promoting easier whisker debonding and removal by the abrasive particles. The addition of SiC whiskers to an alumina matrix, on the other hand, led to the creation of residual compressive stresses at whisker-matrix interfaces, producing a locally tougher interface that was more able to withstand the rigors of the abrasive wear environment. These results indicate that in brittle materials, improved bulk mechanical properties do not always translate directly to improved performance in a tribological environment.