Effects of Mechanical Properties on the Wear Resistance of Journal Bearing Alloys

Abstract

Sample quantities of eight bearing alloys were produced in thick (> 5mm) plates with microstructures similar to those obtained in the thin layers of automotive journal bearings. These materials consisted of four sintered leaded bronze alloys containing various amounts of lead and tin, a cast leaded bronze alloy, a cast lead babbitt, and a wrought aluminum-silicon alloy, in both the prior-to and after precipitation hardened conditions. Specimens machined from these sample plates were used in tensile, hardness, and wear experiments. Tensile tests were conducted at two temperatures and two strain rates. In order to eliminate the chemical effects of lubricant additives on tribological performance, wear experiments were conducted with a base oil containing no additives. As such, only the effects of the bulk characteristics of the bearing alloys on wear behavior were evaluated experimentally. Correlative analysis by both a graphic method and standard statistical computer technique were employed to identify para...