Wear mechanisms in titanium implanted silicon nitride ceramics

The wear of silicon nitride ceramics is reduced by titanium
implantation albeit the friction coefficient is slightly increased. X-ray
excited photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that silicon oxide is formed
in the wear track while possible lubricating titanium oxides are not found.
Therefore we attribute the observed wear reduction to the amorphization
of the surface as proved by transmission electron microscopy.