A Study of the Wear in Ceramic Bearings by a Thin-Layer Activation Method

• Published in: Refractories and industrial ceramics Vol. 42; no. 3-4; pp. 115 - 117
• Main Authors: Sokovikov, V V, Konstantinov, V I, Shkarupa, I L, Paranosenkov, V P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer Nature B.V 01.03.2001
• Subjects: Activation; Activation analysis; Bearings; Ceramics; Pumps; Surface chemistry; Wear; Wear rate; Zirconium dioxide
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1011371727266
• ISSN: 1083-4877

The wear resistance of ceramic sliding bearings fabricated from sintered Si^sub 3^N^sub 4^ and ZrO^sub 2^ is studied by the thin-layer activation method. Radioisotopic tags were applied by exposing the ceramic components to a proton beam with an energy of 7.6 MeV. Exposure conditions are specified to avoid radiative damage of the surface of ceramic components. The wear under dry-friction conditions was determined by radiometry of the isotopically labeled surface using calibration curves. The running-in time was found to be about 400 min for Si^sub 3^N^sub 4^-based and 500 - 600 min for ZrO^sub 2^-based components, with wear rates of 4 - 5 and 5 - 6 μ, respectively. The data obtained attest to the high performance characteristics of the ceramic bearings that are used for submersible pumps for pumping crude oil out of wells.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]