Design/methodology/approach This study investigates the friction and wear characteristics of lubricants used in steel and ceramic bearings. The frictional behavior of aerospace lubricants is evaluated across four material pairings at temperatures ranging from ambient to 170°C. Findings The results demonstrate that aerospace lubricants exhibit superior tribological performance in Si3N4-based systems, characterized by lower coefficients of friction and reduced wear compared to steel/steel systems. This enhanced performance is primarily attributed to the high thermal stability of Si3N4. At 170°C, the coefficient of friction and wear rate in Si3N4 systems are markedly lower than those in steel/steel systems. Specifically, at 170°C, the disk wear rate of the Si3N4/M50 system was reduced by 75%, 74.5% and 65.7% relative to the GCr15/GCr15, M50/M50 and M50/M50NiL systems, respectively. Originality/value This paper elucidates the tribological behavior and underlying mechanisms of various bearing steel/steel and ceramic/steel material combinations. The findings aim to offer valuable theoretical guidance and experimental reference for the practical application of ceramic/steel bearings. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-03-2025-0130/