Abrasive wear behavior of a brittle matrix (MoSi2) composite reinforced with a ductile phase (Nb)

The toughness of a variety of brittle ceramic and intermetallic matrices has been improved through the incorporation of ductile metallic reinforcements. In these composites resistance to catastrophic failure of the matrix is derived through a combination of mechanisms, including matrix crack bridging, matrix crack defection and rupturing of the ductile phase. The degree to which these mechanisms operate is a function of composite microstructure. In general, the ductile phase is softer than the matrix phase. This may have unique implications when the materials are subjected to a wear environment, whether intentional or not. Hence, it is important to understand the wear behavior of these new materials. MoSi2–Nb was selected as a model composite system, in part because of the wide body of open literature regarding this system. The influences of abrasive wear environment and the composite microstructure (Nb reinforcement size, shape and volume fraction) on the wear resistance of the composites are reported.