Fretting wear of self-mated tetragonal zirconia ceramics in different humidity

摘要

Humidity is reported to have a considerable influence on the tribological behaviour of engineering ceramics. This paper reports on fretting wear experiments (mode I, reciprocating sliding) with self-mated polycrystalline tetragonal zirconia (Y-TZP) ceramics under dry, ambient and humid conditions. Based on the friction and wear data as well as the morphological investigation of the worn surfaces, the wear mechanisms under different humidity conditions are elucidated. It is unequivocally demonstrated that high humidity (85-90/100 RH) significantly reduces friction and wear of self-mated Y-TZP ceramics.