Ceramic materials are known for their very good wear resistance and, depending on the conditions, also good tribological properties.
Highly loaded Si3N4 bearings and SiC-based mechanical seals, for example, have become an essential part of industrial applications. However, there is not one material that offers optimum performance in all applications. The composition and microstructure must therefore be adapted to the corresponding requirements. In the presentation, the possibilities of such a material design for SiC- and Si3N4-based materials as well as cost-effective diamond-based materials will be presented.
The tailored modification of Si3N4 materials allows the tribological properties to be adapted both at high temperatures and under superlubricity conditions in aqueous media. Very low friction coefficients were achieved with the diamond-based materials, however, no superlubricity. However, they have extreme advantages in systems that are subject to abrasive loads in addition to tribological loads, such as bearings in the offshore sector]