Investigation of High-Speed Rubbing Behavior of GH4169 Superalloy with SiC/SiC Composites

The silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix (SiC/SiC), ceramic matrix composite (CMC) and nickel-based superalloy GH4169 can be utilized in high-temperature applications due to their high-temperature performance. The SiC/SiC composites are commonly used in turbine outer rings, where they encounter friction and wear against the turbine blades. This high-speed rubbing occurs frequently in aircraft engines and steam turbines. To investigate the tribological behavior of these materials, rubbing experiments were conducted between the SiC/SiC and the GH4169 superalloy. The experiments involved varying the blade tip speeds ranging from 100 m/s to 350 m/s and incursion rates from 5 μm/s to 50 μm/s at room temperature. Additionally, experiments were conducted at high temperatures to compare the tribological behavior under ambient conditions. The results indicated that the GH4169 superalloy exhibited abrasive furrow wear during rubbing at both room temperature and high temperature. Furthermore, at elevated temperatures, some of the GH4169 superalloy adhered to the surface of the SiC/SiC. The analysis of the experiments conducted at ambient temperatures revealed that the friction coefficient increased with higher blade tip velocities (100~350 m/s). However, the coefficient was lower at high temperatures compared to room temperature. Furthermore, significant temperature increases were observed during rubbing at room temperature, whereas minimal temperature changes were detected on the rubbing surface at high temperatures.