High-performance ceramics

High-performance ceramics are very frequently used as structural ceramics in applications with tribological stresses because they are temperature-resistant, media-resistant and wear-resistant. They also enable very low coefficients of friction - down to superlubricity - and help to improve energy efficiency in tribological systems.

The safe use and exploitation of the advantages of ceramics require not only tribological optimization, but also a design that is as suitable as possible for the material on the basis of the material characteristics.

We help ceramic manufacturers to optimize their materials with regard to specific applications. We test and simulate ceramic materials and components in real-world applications for users of ceramic components

R&D services concerning high-performance ceramics for your company 

Mechanical tests

• Mechanical strength and modulus of elasticity at temperatures up to 1200 °C
• Fracture toughness with the SEVNB and CNB method
• Dynamic and cyclic strength, subcritical crack growth
• Biaxial strength: ball-on-3-balls test

Tribological component testing

• Testing of mechanical seals at pressures up to 15 bar and temperatures up to 120 °C
• Testing of rolling and plain bearings
• Mechanical seals under electrochemical influence
• Bearing testing at high temperatures

Damage analyses

• Damage analysis according to VDI guideline 3822
• Ceramography and fractography

Material and component simulation

Modeling with finite elements:

• Load analyses with and without tribological contact
• Crack growth in ceramic microstructures
• Reliability and service life

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Selected research projects 

Tribological investigations of diamond-SiC composites for applications in the deep sea 

Extracting raw materials from the sea requires systems that can be operated underwater. The requirements in terms of service life and reliability are extreme. Materials and components that can meet these requirements are needed for media-lubricated plain bearings and mechanical seals. Components made of SiC-bonded diamond were developed for this purpose in a joint research project.

Increasing the energy efficiency of water-lubricated friction pairings in pumps

A significant part of the energy consumption in pumps is due to friction losses in the plain bearings and mechanical seals. Although energy consumption has been significantly reduced in recent years through friction optimization, there is still a need for new solutions to minimize friction and thus improve the efficiency of pumps. In the EWARP joint research project, so-called hard/soft pairings were considered, in which a DLC-coated sliding component is combined as an axial bearing, radial bearing or mechanical seal with a carbon graphite counter-rotor.

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Publications

• Raga, R.; Khader, I.; Chlup, Z.; Kailer, A., Damage initiation and evolution in silicon nitride under non-conforming lubricated hybrid rolling contact, Wear, 360-361 (2016) 147–159 Link
• Kailer, A.; Stephan, M., On the feasibility of the Chevron Notch Beam method to measure fracture toughness of fine-grained zirconia ceramics, Dental Materials, 32/10 (2016) 1256–1262 Link
• Khader, I.; Rasche, S.; Lube, T.; Raga, R.; Degenhardt, U.; Kailer, A., Lifetime prediction of ceramic components - A case study on hybrid rolling contact, Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 169 (2017) 292-308 Link
• Schröder, C.; Kiemle, T.; Kailer, A.; Berthold, C.; Nickel, K. G., Cyclic contact loading of Y-TZP ceramics with spherical SSiC shape under ambient air and water-lubricated conditions, Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 37/6 (2017) 2449 – 2458 Link
• Balázsi, C.; Fogarassy, Z.; Tapasztó, O.; Kailer, A.; Schröder, C.; Parchoviansky, M.; Galusek, D.; Dusza, J.; Balázsi, K., Si3N4/graphene nanocomposites for tribological application in aqueous environments prepared by attritor milling and hot pressing, Journal of the European Ceramic Society,  37/1 (2017) 3797–3804 Link
• Thiele, M.; Eckmann, S.; Huang, M.; Gampe, U.; Fischer, K. A.; Schlesinger, M., Experimental and numerical investigation on the influence of thermally induced stress gradients on fatigue life of the nickel-base alloy MAR-M247, Proc. of ASME Turbo Expo 2019: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition; Volume 7A: Structures and Dynamics; ASME, New York (2019) GT2019-91540, V07AT31A013; 11 pages Link
• Khader, I.; Renz, A.; Kailer, A., A wear model for silicon nitride in dry sliding contact against a nickel-base alloy, Wear, 376-377/Part A (2017) 352-362 Link
• Raga, R.; Khader, I.; Chlup, Z.; Kailer, A., Damage progression in silicon nitride undergoing non-conforming hybrid cyclic contact, International Journal of Fatigue, 105 (2017) 97-110 Link
• Förg, A.; Konrath, G.; Popa, S.; Kailer, A.; Killinger, A.; Gadow, R., Tribological properties of high velocity suspension flame sprayed (HVSFS) ceramic coatings, Surface and Coatings Technology, 349 (2018) 901-908 Link
• Zhang, W.; Schröder, C.; Schlüter, B.; Knoch, M. ; Dusza, J.; Sedlak, R.; Mülhaupt, R.; Kailer, A., Effect of mechanochemically functionalized multilayer graphene on the tribological properties of silicon carbide/graphene nanocomposites in aqueous environment, Tribology Letters,  66/4 (2018) Art. 121, 12 Seiten Link
• Kurz, J.; Amann, T.; Kailer, A., Tribological investigations of silicon nitride lubricated by ionic liquid aqueous solutions, Tribology Transactions, 62/2 (2019) 295-303 Link
• Zhao, B.; Khader, I.; Raga, R.; Konrath, G.; Degenhardt, U.; Kailer, A., High temperature tribological properties of silicon nitride in dry sliding contact against Inconel 718 heated by laser, Wear, 434-435/ (2019) Art. 203000, 9 Seiten Link
• Zhao, B.; Khader, I.; Raga, R.; Degenhardt, U.; Kailer, A., Tribological behavior of three silicon nitride ceramics in dry sliding contact against Inconel 718 in a wide range of velocities, Wear, 448-449/ (2020) Art. 203206, 9 Seiten Link
• Khader, I.; Koplin, C.; Schröder, C.; Stockmann, J.; Beckert, W.; Kunz, W.; Kailer, A., Characterization of a silicon nitride ceramic material for ceramic springs, Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 40/10 (2020) 3541-3554 Link
• Kurz, J.; Amann, T.; Kailer, A., Tribological investigations of silicon nitride lubricated by ionic liquid aqueous solutions, Tribology Transactions, 62/2 (2019) 295-303 Link
• Begand, S.; Spintzyk, S.; Geis-Gerstorfer, J.; Bourauel, C.; Keilig, L.; Lohbauer, U.; Keilig, L.; Worpenberg, C.; Greuling, A.; Adjiski, R.; Jandt, K.D.; Lümkemann, N.; Stawarczyk, B.; Güllmar, A.; Kailer, A.; Oberle, N.; Stephan, M., Fracture toughness of 3Y-TZP ceramic measured by the Chevron-Notch Beam method: A round-robin study, Dental Materials,  19/7 (2022) 1128-1139 Link
• Schlüter, B.; Schröder, C.; Zhang, W.; Mühlhaupt, R.; Degenhardt, U.; Sediák, R.; Dusza, J.; Batázsi, C.; Kailer, A., Influence of graphene type and content on friction and wear of silicon carbide/graphene nanocomposites in aqueous environment, Materials,  15/21 (2022) Art. 7755, 18 Seiten Link
• Koplin, C.; Schwarzer-Fischer, E.; Zschippang, E.; Löw, Y. M.; Czekalla, M.; Seibel, A.; Rörich, A.; Georgii, J.; Güttler, F.; Yarar-Schlickewei, S.; Kailer, A., Design of reliable remobilisation finger implants with geometry elements of a triple periodic minimal surface structure via additive manufacturing of silicon nitride, J — Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal,  6/1 (2023) 180-197 Link
• Kailer, A.; Matthey, B.; Kunze, S.; Herrmann, M.; Tschirpke, C., SiC-bonded diamond ceramics for extreme conditions in subsea applications, International Journal Applied Ceramic Technology 21/4 (2024) 2690-2701 Link
• Herrmann, M.; Matthey, B.; Kunze, S.; Zins, M.; Kailer, A.; Koplin, C.; Borsoi Klein, T.; Börnstein, J., Silicon-carbide-Bonded diamond components for harsh environments–Cost-Effective components with outstanding properties, Ceramic Applications 6 (2018) 64-68 Link

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