Preparation and tribological properties of sol-gel zirconia thin films stabilized with ceria

High oriented ceria-stabilized zirconia (CSZ) thin films were prepared by the sol-gel method using zirconium oxychloride octahydrate and cerium chloride hexahydrate as starting materials. The morphology and microstructure of the films were investigated via X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The films contained only tetragonal phase and showed nanoscale uniformity. Tribological properties were investigated by using a one-way reciprocating tribometer. Under low load (0.05 N), the films displayed excellent tribological properties in sliding against Si3N4 balls. The friction coefficient was as low as 0.15–0.19 and the wear life was more than 5000 sliding cycles. The tribological properties of CSZ/AISI52100 steel system was inferior to CSZ/Si3N4 system. The wear mechanism of CSZ films in sliding against Si3N4 under low load was fatigue wear, slight abrasion and scuffing, whereas that of in sliding against AISI52100 steel was abrasive wear and plastic deformation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]