Research on the Friction and Wear Properties of the Copper Matrix Composites Reinforced with Copperized Carbon Fibers

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to develop a kind of copper matrix self-lubricious material with excellent friction and wear characteristics. The copper-graphite composites reinforced with short copper-coated carbon fibers (CF-C/Cu) were successfully developed using techniques of mechanical alloying, composite plating and hot press vacuum sintering. For comparison, copper-graphite composites without short copper-coated carbon fibers (C/Cu) were made under the same process. The wear testing was carried out using a rapid wear testing machine (M-200).Friction coefficient was measured by a micro-wear tester (UMT).The microstructure, abrasive dust and worn surface of the wear pins on the different condition such as load and wear time were examined by SEM. It was noted that the addition of copper-coated carbon fiber in the Cu-based composites can retard the transformation process which transforms from micro-cutting wear to adhesive wear and delamination. The abrasion loss of the composites with short copper-coated carbon fibers appeared a valley when the load increased from 10N to 30N. It showed that the addition of copper-coated carbon fiber enhanced the anti-friction and anti-wear property of copper matrix composite and better than the sample without carbon fibers.