Tribological properties of composites with substrate made of the ZA-27 alloy reinforced by the graphite particles

Abstract

In this paper are presented results of tribometric investigations of composites with substrate made of the ZA-27 alloy reinforced by the graphite particles of sizes 20, 35 and 100 μm in quantities of 1, 2 and 3.5 and 10 mass %. The composite materials are obtained by the compocasting procedure. Investigations were performed on the tribometer with the block-on-disc geometry in conditions with and without lubrication. Tests were done with variation of the three levels of the contact load (2 daN, 5 daN and 8 daN) and three levels of the sliding speed (0.26 m/s, 0.50 m/s and 1.00 m/s). Based on the conducted tribological investigations the optimal mass shares and particles’ sizes of the graphite reinforcer as a function of the varied parameters. Results of experimental investigations show that by the change of the mass share and particles’ sizes of graphite, one can positively influence in the sense of improving the tribological characteristics of the tested composites with the Za-27 alloy as a substrate.