Effect of ceramic particle shape on wear resistance mechanism of zirconia toughened alumina ceramic reinforced high chromium cast iron architectural composite

Abstract

Zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA)/high chromium cast iron (HCCI) architectural composites are widely used in many fields, and several factors can affect their wear resistance. The objective of this study was to examine the three-body abrasive wear characteristics of an irregularly shaped ZTA/HCCI composite in comparison with conventional HCCI and crushing ZTA/HCCI composites. Irregularly shaped ZTA was prepared in this study, and ZTA/HCCI composites were fabricated with different ZTA shapes. The mass loss rates of crushed and irregularly shaped ZTA/HCCI composites were observed 0.29 % and 0.26 %, respectively, when subjected to the three-body abrasive wear process. These results indicated the improved wear resistance of the ZTA/HCCI composite. Because the irregularly shaped ZTA ceramic particles did not have sharp edges, which suppressed the tendency for stress concentration, the internal stress was significantly reduced. Therefore, the likelihood of crack formation was substantially reduced, reducing the probability of failure and increasing the wear resistance. In this study, this approach provided a new idea to enhance the wear resistance.