Wear of Low Temperature Degradation-Free Zirconia/Alumina Composites in a Ceramic-Ceramic Contact Pair
The sliding wear behaviors of three different compositions of novel low temperature degradation-free zirconia/alumina (LTD-free Z/A) composites were examined in a ceramicceramic contact pair. The wear tests were performed by using a pin-on-disk type wear tester in a linear reciprocal sliding motion with a line contact in both dry and bovine serum lubricated conditions at room temperature. From the results of dry sliding wear tests, Z/A#1 ((5.3Y,4.6Nb)-TZP/80 vol% Al2O3) showed the best wear resistance among three kinds of LTD-free Z/A composites. For the bovine serum lubricated sliding wear tests, wear was too little to be measured for all kinds of Z/A composites. These novel LTD-free Z/A composites having excellent wear resistance demonstrated a potential as the alternative materials for the ceramicceramic contact pairs of femoral head and acetabular liner in total hip replacement.