doi:10.3850/978-981-08-6555-9_163


Influence of Load and Surface Condition on the Tribological Performance of Zirconia for Applications in High-performance Microsystems


J. Schneider1, T. Polzer2 and K. -H. Zum Gahr2

1Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, IZBS - Institute for Reliability of Components and Systems

2Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, IWK II - Institute of Materials Science and Engineering II P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany

ABSTRACT

Within the present study it was characterized the influence of load and surface condition on the tribological properties of self-mated 3Y-TZP zirconia under unlubricated unidirectional sliding conditions with respect to the application in high performance microsystems. Results of the ball-on-disc tests indicated a transition from low to high friction and wear for the self-mated, polished zirconia at an initial Hertzian stress of about 915 MPa (normal load 200 mN). Below this threshold the friction coefficient was below 0.4 and the linear wear less than 1 µm after a sliding distance of 1000 m. Due to a thermal treatment at 1300°C or an specially developed micro peening process of the zirconia discs the friction coefficient of the self-mated zirconia could yet be reduced up to 40% in the low friction regime at a normal load of 50 mN.

Keywords: Zirconia, Friction, Sliding wear, Surface condition.


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