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Tribological Analysis of Copper-Coated Graphite Particle-Reinforced A359 Al/5 wt.% SiC Composites

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Abstract

Copper-coated graphite particles can be mass-produced by the cementation process using simple equipment. Graphite particulates that were coated with electroless copper and 5 wt.% SiC particulates were introduced into an aluminum alloy by compocasting to make A359 Al/5 wt.% SiC(p) composite that contained 2, 4, 6, and 8 wt.% graphite particulate composite. The effects of SiC particles, quantity of graphite particles, normal loading, sliding speed and wear debris on the coefficient of friction, and the wear rate were investigated. The results thus obtained indicate that the wear properties were improved by adding small amounts of SiC and graphite particles into the A359 Al alloy. The coefficient of friction of the A359 Al/5 wt.% SiC(p) composite that contained 6.0 wt.% graphite particulates was reduced to 0.246 and the amount of graphite film that was released on the worn surface increased with the graphite particulate content. The coefficient of friction and the wear rate were insensitive to the variation in the sliding speed and normal loading.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the National Science Council of the Republic of China, Taiwan, for financially supporting this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Tamkang University, Tamsui, New Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

    C. B. Lin & T. C. Wang

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taiping City, Taichung County, Taiwan, ROC

    Z. C. Chang

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kung-Shan University of Technology, Tainan City, Taiwan, ROC

    H. Y. Chu

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  1. C. B. Lin
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  2. T. C. Wang
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Correspondence to C. B. Lin.

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Lin, C.B., Wang, T.C., Chang, Z.C. et al. Tribological Analysis of Copper-Coated Graphite Particle-Reinforced A359 Al/5 wt.% SiC Composites. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 22, 94–103 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-012-0231-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-012-0231-2

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