Friction and Wear Behavior of AlMgB14–TiB2 Composite at Elevated Temperature

In this article, field-activated and pressure-assisted synthesis was employed to synthesize an ultra-hard, super-abrasive AlMgB14–TiB2 composite ceramic. The friction and wear performance of the AlMgB14–TiB2 composite were evaluated in ambient air at temperatures up to 800 °C by using a reciprocating ball-on-disk high-temperature tribometer. X-ray diffraction experiments were performed to study the crystal structure of worn surfaces of AlMgB14–TiB2 specimens at various temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis were used to examine the worn surface features and chemical composition of the AlMgB14–TiB2 composite, respectively. Results showed that the friction coefficient of the AlMgB14–TiB2 composite ranged from 0.45 to 0.55 below 300 °C, while the data obtained at 500 and 600 °C were about 0.65. The damage mechanism is transformed from mild abrasive damage at room temperature to adhesive wear at elevated temperature. In the case of 800 °C, the AlMgB14–TiB2 composite exhibited the lowest friction coefficient as the formation of a lubricious oxide film on the wear track.