Research status of rare earth oxides used in Al₂O₃ wear-resistant ceramics

Rare earth oxides mainly exist in nature in the form of minerals. Doping rare earth oxides into Al₂O₃ ceramics can affect their wear resistance. In order to broaden the application scope of rare earth oxides, this paper summarizes the current status of rare earth oxides used in Al₂O₃ wear-resistant ceramics based on relevant research on the influence of doped rare earth oxides on the wear resistance of Al₂O₃ ceramics. Firstly, the influencing factors of the wear resistance of Al₂O₃ ceramics are summarized. Secondly, the influence and mechanism of rare earth oxides on the wear resistance of Al₂O₃ ceramics are introduced. Finally, the future research and development directions of rare earth oxides used in Al₂O₃ wear-resistant ceramics are prospected. The results show that different rare earth oxides have different effects on the wear resistance of Al₂O₃ ceramics, but not all the doped rare earth oxides can improve the wear resistance of Al₂O₃ ceramics. The doping of one component or multi component rare earth oxides, such as Y₂O₃, La₂O₃, CeO₂, Nd₂O₃, Sm₂O₃, Tb₄O₇, Yb₂O₃, Gd₂O₃, Er₂O₃, and Lu₂O₃, has a positive effect on the wear resistance of Al₂O₃ ceramics, among which Gd₂O₃, Er₂O₃, and Lu₂O₃ can enable Al₂O₃ ceramics to exhibit the best wear resistance at lower doping levels; on the contrary, the doping of rare earth oxides, such as Eu₂O₃, Ho₂O₃, and Tm₂O₃, has a negative impact on the wear resistance of Al₂O₃ ceramics. Therefore, for the design and production of Al₂O₃ wear-resistant ceramics, it is crucial to choose suitable rare earth oxides for the preparation of high wear-resistant products.