Circle segment grooves are worked into the harder face material (tungsten or silicon carbide of a – face material pairing to a specific depth of the sealing width b, in order to facilitate entry of medium between the sliding faces and build-up of a bearing lubrication film. The sliding face is better cooled in the area of the circle segment groove than in the zones between the circle segment grooves; this gives rise to a slight, thermally induced warping of the sliding face. Under the effect of the sliding velocity and pressure, each circle segment groove thus produces a lubricating wedge, and the numerous lubricating wedges (equal to the number of circle segment grooves) form the lubricating film distributed over the circumference. Circle segment grooves are often used in high-speed seals and in high-pressure seals. Circle segment grooves cannot be employed in abrasive media, as they encourage entry of abrasive particles into the sliding face. Circle segment grooves have a leakage-raising effect.