Friction and wear characteristics of β‐Sialon prepared from secondary aluminum dross

Abstract This study investigates the properties of β‐Sialon synthesized from secondary aluminum dross. High‐purity β‐Sialon powders were synthesized through nitriding reduction, followed by spark plasma sintering to obtain dense sintered bodies. The phase composition, microstructure, microhardness, and friction and wear characteristics of the sintered bodies were analyzed using X‐ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, a microhardness tester, and a friction and wear tester, respectively. Fracture analysis revealed a combination of through‐crystal and along‐crystal fractures, with fracture occurrence correlated to crack expansion. The crystalline fractures exhibited a toughening effect. The friction and wear test of the sintered bodies demonstrated a decrease in the friction coefficient with increasing load and speed. The wear behavior of the sintered bodies encompassed abrasive wear, adhesive wear, and fatigue wear. Abrasive wear dominated at low speed and low load, while adhesive wear was prominent at high speed and high load. Increasing speed accentuated adhesive wear characteristics, while increasing load led to the formation of a material layer on the friction ball surface, delaying wear initiation.