Perspective Composition Materials for Electrode-Tools Production

Abstract

This chapter reports the result of an experimental study to examine the physical, mechanical properties of electrode-tools made from copper-based composite materials with the addition of refractory metals, ceramic, graphite phases in the erosion of tool steel. Composite materials based on copper with different contents of the refractory phase were made by powder metallurgy. Electrodes’ wear rate made from “copper–chromium” is lower than traditionally used compounds made from pure copper M1 and “copper–tungsten” material. Using methods of X-ray phase and Raman Effect, spectrum analysis investigated the formation of intercalated graphite with copper and sp3 connections in graphite, sintered with copper. During the sintering of the “copper–titanium carbide” and “copper–titanium carbonitride” chemical interaction was not observed. However, in the copper–carbosilicate titanium system, dissociation of the compound was established such as de-siliconization from titanium carbosilicide grains, part of titanium carbosilicide grains was converted to carbon-based Titanium silicide Ti5Si3 (C) and small amounts of titanium carbide, silicon carbide, and titanium silicide TiSi2. The lowest porosity (6%) was witnessed in materials containing titanium carbosilicide, regardless of its content. The flexural strength was 2 times higher in systems with titanium carbosilicide in comparison with carbide and titanium carbonitride. When investigating the relative wear of the electrode during the machining of tool steel, it was established that all the studied systems have better wear resistance than pure copper and copper–tungsten carbide material.