Microstructure, mechanical and wear property correlation of Al bronze alloys

ABSTRACT In the present work, the effect of Al content (0, 3, 5, 10, 15 wt-%) on the microstructure, mechanical and wear properties of Cu was systematically studied. Interestingly, the core–shell microstructure was observed in the Cu–Al alloys or Al bronzes with different layers of α-Cu, and intermetallic phases. The Cu–Al alloys displayed good compressive yield strength of 174–653 MPa, in particular, the Cu samples with Al (upto 10 wt-%) did not show fracture upto strain of 40%. Abrasion wear was the predominant wear mechanism in pure Cu and Cu–Al alloys after sliding against SiC. The Al addition to Cu drastically decreased the wear rate (198 ×10−3 to 3.8 ×10−3 mm3 N–1m–1) of Cu–Al alloys. The present work demonstrates the advantage of the addition of (5–10 wt-%) Al to Cu in achieving good combination of mechanical and wear properties of Cu–Al alloys.