Tribological Behavior and Lubrication Mechanisms of Silicon Nitride Ring/Block Self-mated Pairs in Different Media

ZHANG Dongdong; LIANG Peng; HOU Jitao; LI Shuyi; JIANG Fulin; LIU Xiaoling; BAI Qinghua; ZHU Yixi

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.11.018

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Surface Technology ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (11) : 210-222. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.11.018

Friction, Wear and Lubrication

Tribological Behavior and Lubrication Mechanisms of Silicon Nitride Ring/Block Self-mated Pairs in Different Media

ZHANG Dongdong¹, LIANG Peng^1,2,*, HOU Jitao¹, LI Shuyi¹, JIANG Fulin¹, LIU Xiaoling¹, BAI Qinghua¹, ZHU Yixi³

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Abstract

Silicon nitride ceramics exhibit high chemical stability, making them suitable as friction pairs in seawater environments to mitigate issues such as corrosion and wear. To investigate the tribological performance of silicon nitride ceramic friction pairs under different lubricating media, friction and wear experiments are conducted on Si₃N₄ self-mated pairs using a high-speed ring-block test rig. The worn surfaces are analyzed with multiple characterization techniques to study the effects of different lubricating media on the tribological behavior of Si₃N₄ self-mated pairs. This study aims to elucidate the lubrication mechanisms by comparing the tribological behavior of Si₃N₄ self-mated pairs under various lubricating media and to explore the influence of different seawater constituents on the lubrication mechanisms by formulating multiple lubricating media with varying seawater components. The results show that, during the high-friction stage, the running-in period is the shortest (only 170 s) under lubrication with 1% H₂O₂. The lowest stable friction coefficient (0.012) is achieved with deionized water. For the remaining lubricants, the stable friction coefficients increase in the following order: 1% H₂O₂ (0.019), 50% seawater (0.027), and 100% seawater (0.030). During the low-friction stage, the lowest stable friction coefficient (0.012) is achieved in deionized water, followed by 1% H₂O₂ and 50% seawater, with the highest friction coefficient (0.030) observed in 100% seawater. Comparing the tribological performance between 100% and 50% seawater reveals that the composition and concentration of compounds in seawater significantly affect the lubrication performance of the friction pair. Therefore, experiments are conducted by adding different seawater constituents to deionized water to formulate various lubricating media, aiming to reveal the impact of different compounds on the lubrication mechanisms of Si₃N₄ self-mated pairs. The results indicate that the friction coefficient during the stable phase increases when NaCl and KCl solutions are used as lubricants, while the running-in period is shortened in MgCl₂ solution compared with NaCl solution. Additionally, the friction coefficient during the stable phase decreases in media containing CaCl₂ and NaHCO₃. Surface characterization tests under different media reveal that, under water-lubricated conditions, the smooth surface formed by polishing and the self-lubricating SiO₂colloid generated through tribochemical reactions contribute to the reduction in the friction coefficient of Si₃N₄ self-mated pairs. The shortened running-in period in 1% H₂O₂ is attributed to its strong oxidizing effect, which enhances the surface reactivity of Si₃N₄, accelerating the formation of the friction-reducing "self-lubricating mud" SiO₂. During seawater lubrication, MgCl₂, CaCl₂, and NaHCO₃ generate Mg(OH)₂ and CaCO₃ during the friction process, and their "superposition effect" shortens the running-in time and filled surface pits, and acts as a boundary lubricating film to reduce friction. However, the presence of Na⁺ and K⁺ increases the running-in time and friction coefficient, as these ions react with the originally water-insoluble Si(OH)₄ to form water-soluble Na₂SiO₃ and K₂SiO₃, thereby reducing the self-lubricating effect of the mud-like Si(OH)₄. Compared with the sol state of SiO₂ in deionized water, the aggregation of surface SiO₂ and the presence of salt ions in seawater increase the viscosity and shear strength of the lubricant at the interface, leading to an elevated friction coefficient. This work provides a reference for studying the tribological performance of Si₃N₄ ceramics used in marine engineering equipment in seawater.

Key words

silicon nitride ceramics / ring-block friction pair / tribochemical reaction / self-lubricating / running-in period / coefficient of friction

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ZHANG Dongdong, LIANG Peng, HOU Jitao, LI Shuyi, JIANG Fulin, LIU Xiaoling, BAI Qinghua, ZHU Yixi. Tribological Behavior and Lubrication Mechanisms of Silicon Nitride Ring/Block Self-mated Pairs in Different Media[J]. Surface Technology. 2026, 55(11): 210-222

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Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (52375190, 52342503, 52005278); Shandong Province Higher Educational Science and Technology Program (2021KJ077); Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation ( ZR2021ME198, ZR2022ME081); Shandong Province Science and Technology Small and Medium Enterprises Innovation Ability Enhancement Project ( 2023TSGC0612)