Tribology of Different Ceramic Sliders on Lubricated Thin-Film Disks©

Abstract

Seventy-percent straight-rail, taper-flat sliders were made from A1₂O₃-TiC, Mn-Zn ferrite, SiC, Si₃N₄ and ZrO₂ and tested, on lubricated thin-film disks. The tests involved low speed (0.44 m/s) continuous contact drag testing at a fixed radius for a maximum of one. million revolutions or to disk failure. SiC did not cause the disk media, to fail, even, out to five million revolutions, and the friction force had. consistently low modulation throughout the test. Si₃N₄ did not cause any disk failures but exhibited higher friction force with more modulation. A₂O₃-TiC, Mn-Zn ferrite and ZrO₂ exhibited high failure, rates (>50%), even though the initial friction forces were. low. The failure rates of these ceramics can be explained by the catalytic activity of Al₂O₃, TiC, Fe₂O₂ and ZrO₂ on the degradation of the disk lubricant. Another explanation is the localized surface oxidation of SiC and Si₃N₄ sliders resulted, in a softer slider material exhibiting more wear, leading to higher contact area and lower contact stresses at the slider/disk interface.

Presented as a Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers paper at the ASME/STLE Tribology Conference in San Francisco, California, October 13–17, 1996

KEY WORDS:

• Surface Analytical Techniques, Physical
• Friction
• Hardness Effects in Tribology
• Lubricant Contamination
• Lubricant Degradation/Stability
• Lubricant Properties
• Magnetic Data Storage Systems Tribology
• Materials, Properties and Tribology
• Surface Films/Coatings
• Synthetic Lubricants
• Tribology
• Wear and Failure

Notes

Presented as a Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers paper at the ASME/STLE Tribology Conference in San Francisco, California, October 13–17, 1996