AbstractThe friction and wear behaviour of eight different SiCTiCTiB2composite materials, with a practically constant SiC:TiC ratio of 1 and an increasing amount of TiB2, was determined comparatively in oscillating sliding tests at room temperature under unlubricated conditions. The influence of the relative humidity (RH) of the surrounding air was investigated in tests in dry, normal, and moist air. All tests were performed against SiC balls and Al2O3balls as counterbodies. The friction was affected by RH but barely at all by the composition of the composites. The wear resistance of the composites was found to be improved considerably by addition of TiB2in the range 20–60%. The highest wear resistance of the system was found when Al2O3was used as the counterbody mat