Friction and wear studies in N-implanted Al2O3, SiC, TiB2, and B4C ceramics

Abstract
Bulk polycrystalline samples of sintered Al2O3, and hot-pressed Al2O3, SiC, TiB2, and B4C ceramics were ion implanted at 77 K with 190 keV N+ to a dose of 3 × 1017 N/cm2. Nitrogen implantation resulted in reduced friction coefficients for SiC, TiB2, and B4C samples and a reduction in wear for TiB2. Both Al2O3 samples showed a significant increase in friction coefficients after nitrogen implantation. Nitrogen-implantation-induced changes in these properties appear to be correlated with the thermodynamic tendency of the sample to form “nitridelike” bonds.