Analysis and Evaluation of the Synergistic Effect of Ceramic Materials and Surface Texture on Anti-Abrasive Particle Wear under Rolling Conditions

Damage to mechanical components caused by contaminant ingress is a common failure. In response to this issue, this study introduces a synergistic abrasion reduction method based on the combined application of ceramic materials and surface texturing. Using cylindrical thrust roller bearings as an illustration, circular textures were applied to the raceways, and a small number of steel rollers were substituted with ceramic ones. Moreover, alumina was introduced into the lubricant as a contaminant. The frictional and dynamic performance of the "ceramic-textured surface" combination under lubricant contamination conditions was explored and compared with corresponding single abrasion reduction techniques. The synergistic abrasion reduction mechanism of the "ceramic-textured surface" combination was also examined. The findings reveal that under lubricant contamination conditions, the synergistic abrasion reduction method surpasses individual abrasion reduction methods and demonstrates a certain degree of complementarity. Compared with traditional all-steel bearings, textured bearings with four ceramic rollers have reduced the average frictional force by approximately 56.82%, and the mass loss of the shaft washer and seat washer has been reduced by approximately 81.01% and 80.86%, respectively. Rolling elements treated with the synergistic abrasion reduction method exhibit enhanced resistance to abrasive particle wear. This improvement is attributed to the collaborative effects of various mechanisms, including crushing and refinement, capture and storage, grinding and finishing, as well as self-healing and smoothing.