Friction behavior in nanoscratching of reaction bonded silicon carbide ceramic with Berkovich and sphere indenters

• The friction behaviour of RBSC ceramic in nanoscale with two indenters was analysed.
• A theoretical model was developed to analyze the interaction of indenter and sample.
• The fluctuation of the cutting force and friction coefficient was also studied.

The present work investigates the friction behavior of reaction-bonded silicon carbide (RBSC) ceramic in nanoscratching process with both Berkovich and sphere indenters. A theoretical model for the contact between the indenter and the substrate is established to systematically analyze the friction behavior of RBSC ceramic. The geometrical shapes of the indenters and the special distinctive structural characteristics of the substrate material are discussed with this model. Nanoscratching experiments are also carried out with both two indenters. Results show that the ploughing friction coefficient plays a significant role in the plastic processing stage of RBSC using the Berkovich indenter. Moreover, the fluctuation of the cutting force and friction coefficient is analyzed to be caused by the specific microstructure of the material.