Aimed at problems that the metal material used in traditional piston pneumatic pumps has poor wearresisting properties and is easy to produce the phenomenon of coldwelding,the feasibility was studied by using the zirconia ceramics and the 304 stainless steel as the material of piston pneumatic pumps.ANSYS was used to simulate the changes of contact stress between the piston ring and the pump material of zirconia ceramics and 304 stainless steel.The friction and wear properties of zirconia ceramic and 304 stainless steel materials against piston ring were studied experimentally.The results show that using zirconia ceramic and 304 stainless steel as pump materials,the stress of piston and cylinder is not obviously increased.Zirconium oxide ceramic has excellent properties,and it will not be damaged and deformed as pump material.The antiwear properties of zirconium oxide ceramic is obviously better than that of 304 stainless steel,and it has the characteristics of selflubrication and can reduce friction and wear.An experimental prototype was produced and verified by using zirconia ceramic as pump material.The results show that it is feasible using zirconia ceramic as pump material in engineering.