Effect of La2O3 content on wear resistance of alumina ceramics

In order to improve the wear resistance, a kind of alumina ceramic with good wear resistance was created in an Al2O3-CaCO3-SiO2-MgO-La2O3 (ACSML) system. The effects of La2O3 content on sintering temperature, bulk density, and wear rate were investigated. The wear rate of sample was as low as 0.0393%. The wear resistance of the sample containing La2O3 has improved 43% than that of the sample without La2O3. Appropriate La2O3 doping could inhibit grain growth, enhance density, and purify grain boundary. La2O3 could diffuse into Al2O3 to form a solid solution and react with Al2O3 to form high-aluminum low-lanthanum complex oxides. The combination among Al2O3, the solid solution layer, and the layer of high-aluminum low-lanthanum complex oxides combined closely, which could improve grain boundary cohesion. Besides, the homogeneous distributions of elements made uniform structure. Finally, the wear resistance of alumina ceramic was improved.