The Wet Erosive Wear Of Polycrystalline Alumina with Silicon Carbide Particulate Inclusions

摘要

The incorporation of silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles into polycrystalline aluminas (Al_2O_3) can produce significant reductions in wear rate (1). To ascertain whether this result is peculiar to nanocomposites, or more genral to particulate composites, a study of the effects of SiC particle size on the wear rate of such composties has been carried out. Al_2O_3 matrix composites were hot pressed with additions of 5 wgt percent SiC of particle sizes in the range 0.01-15 mu m. These materials have been wear tested under conditions of wet erosion and the results compared to those of pure Al_2O_3. Wear rate varies with SiC particle size in a continuous way, with the particulates causing refinement of the Al_2O_3 grain size and reducing grain boundary fracture.