Progress in High-Performance Ceramic Lubricating Materials

With the increasing demand for lubricating materials under extreme working conditions in modern industry, the performance limitations of traditional metal-based and organic lubricating materials in harsh environments, such as high temperature, high load, and strong corrosion, are becoming increasingly evident. Ceramic lubrication technology, recognized as an advanced lubrication approach can effectively facilitates lubrication and sealing in extreme conditions, including high temperatures and corrosive environments. Ceramic lubricating materials demonstrate significant application potential and value in high-end technology sectors, such as aviation, aerospace, military applications, and maritime industries, owing to their advantages, including high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance and low density. However, ceramic materials exhibit relatively high friction coefficients and wear rates under dry friction, which significantly restricts the applicability of high-performance ceramic lubricating materials in the field of high-end equipment technology. Consequently, the design of components and structures for ceramic lubricating materials, aimed at integrating structural and lubrication function, has emerged as a key research focus in the domain of solid lubricating materials. This article primarily summarized recent advances in high-performance ceramic lubricating materials, emphasizing the investigation of their tribological properties through conventional tribological design, novel structural design (including porous structures, biomimetic structures, functional gradient structures and surface texturing design) and high-entropy ceramic material design. Additionally, the impact of various design parameters on tribological properties was discussed. Future research directions for high-performance ceramic lubricating materials were also explored to guide the design process and enhance their application in high-end technical equipment.