FUNDAMENTAL OF WATER LUBRICATION - Effect of Surface Texturing on Load Carrying Capacity between SiC Surfaces Sliding in Water

摘要

Ceramics are expected as alternative materials for mechanical seals, bearings working in water because they have high corrosion resistance and hardness and in particular, very low friction can be obtained when SiC and Si{sub}3N{sub}4 slides in water due to tribo-chemical reaction. Therefore, the combination of ceramics and water is better than that of metals and oils in the point of the environment and the conservations of resources and energy. In addition, when the surfaces of ceramics are textured, the load carrying capacity is increased owing to hydrodynamic effect. As a result, the operating condition with a low friction can be expanded more widely in comparison with no-textured surface [1]. The purpose of this study is to design a new texture to increase the critical load (the transition load of lubrication mode from hydrodynamic to mixed lubrication regime) of SiC sliding bearings in water lubrication.