Tribological Behavior of Si3N4-hBN Ceramic Materials without Lubrication under Different Test Modes

Unlubricated tribological behaviors of silicon nitride–boron nitride (Si 3 N 4 -hBN) composites were investigated with two test modes in air by using a pin-on-disc tribometer. Under upper-disc-on-bottom-pin test mode, the addition of hBN to Si 3 N 4 resulted in a significant decrease of the friction coefficient, from 0.54 for Si 3 N 4 against Si 3 N 4 to 0.19 for Si 3 N 4 -20% hBN against Si 3 N 4 . The surface analysis indicated that a tribochemical film consisting of SiO2 and H 3 BO 3 was formed on the wear surfaces. The formation of tribochemical film might be attributed to the embedment of wear debris into the spalling pits on the wear surfaces of Si 3 N 4 -hBN specimen. The wear debris reacted with moisture in air, and the resultant tribochemical film lubricated the wear surfaces. Under upper-pin-on-bottom-disc test mode, the wear mechanism was dominated by abrasive wear, and no tribochemical products could be detected on the wear surfaces. A slight decrease of the friction coefficient, from 0.85 for...