Synthesis and Tribological Characterization of Ti(3)SiC(2)/ZnO Composites

Dense Ti(3)SiC(2)/ZnO composites were sintered at different temperatures by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The effects of sintering temperature on composition and mechanical properties of Ti(3)SiC(2)/ZnO composites were studied. The tribological behaviors of Ti(3)SiC(2)/ZnO composites/Inconel 718 alloy tribo-pairs at elevated temperature from 25 °C to 800 °C were discussed. The experimental results showed that the initial decomposition temperature of the Ti(3)SiC(2)/ZnO composite was 1150 °C, and Ti(3)SiC(2) decomposed into TiC. When the decomposition temperature was higher than 1150 °C, the compositions of the Ti(3)SiC(2)/ZnO composites were Ti(3)SiC(2), ZnO, and TiC. It was found that Ti(3)SiC(2)/ZnO composites had better self-lubricating performance than Ti(3)SiC(2) at elevated temperature from 600 °C to 800 °C, which was owing to material transfers of tribo-pairs and sheared oxides generated by tribo-oxidation reactions.