Integrated　rotary　energy　recovery-pressure　boost　device　(IERPBD)　is　the　essential　component　in　seawater　reverse　osmosis　(SWRO)　desalination　systems.　And　sliding　bearing　pair　is　the　vital　tribopair　in　the　IERPBD,　which　guarantee　the　reliability　of　the　device.　However,　the　polyetheretherketone　(PEEK)　bearing　in　the　IERPBD　occurred　early　failure　during　the　pre-experiment.　To　solve　this　problem,　this　paper　firstly　analyzed　the　reasons　and　mechanisms　of　sliding　bearing　early　failure,　which　suggested　that　it　was　attributed　to　the　low　elasticity　modulus　and　poor　tribological　performance　of　PEEK.　Moreover,　several　improved　＂hard-to-hard＂　material　combinations　were　proposed　and　screened　through　wear　and　friction　experiments,　and　found　that　the　WC-6Ni　(YN6X)/silicon　carbide　(SiC)　material　combination　has　reasonable　physicochemical　properties　and　excellent　tribological　performance.　Finally,　the　sliding　bearing　made　of　YN6X/SiC　was　equipped　in　IERPBD　to　carry　out　experiments　under　real　working　conditions　to　verify　the　performance　of　proposed　material　combination.　The　results　indicated　that　YN6X/SiC　sliding　bearing　pair　could　guarantee　the　continuous　and　stable　operation　of　IERPBD,　and　effectively　solve　the　sliding　bearing　failure　problem.