Low load multiple scratch tests of ceramics and hard metals

Abrasion is caused by the repeated scratching of materials by individual particles in an abrasive, often under fairly light loads. This process has been simulated by carrying out scratch tests on a range of ceramics and hard metals. An array of different scratches was carried out on each sample with a different number of repeats along the same track for each scratch. The magnitude of the damage was measured by the width of the scratches. The frictional force between the indenter and test sample was also measured.

Although the width of single pass scratches in some of the harder materials was smaller than in softer materials, in multiple pass scratches, the final widths of scratches in some of the harder materials were greater than in the softer materials. This was due to differences in the contribution of fracture in the development of damage in multiple pass scratches.

It was found that fracture was a predominant form of damage to both hard metals and ceramics. In the case of the hard metals the fracture was on a fine scale, but with the ceramics fracture occurred on a larger scale, often removing large fragments of material.

These results, and the results of the friction measurements are correlated with the results of a microstructural examination of the mechanisms that occurred. They are also compared with a microstructural assessment of the early stages of wear in the abrasion of these materials.