Dry Sliding Behavior of Additively Grown Multicomponent Aluminum Bronze/Stainless Steel Alloys

Abstract

By means of wire additive electron beam manufacturing aluminum bronze/stainless steel BrAMts9-2/12Kh18N9T alloys with the following concentration ratios of 90 : 10, 75 : 25, 50 : 50, and 25 : 75 were obtained. The microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of the materials were investigated. Ceramic Si3N4 balls were used as counterbodies, which slid without lubrication on disks of the materials. The maximum and minimum levels of tensile strength were 813 and 635 MPa, achieved for samples of BrAMts9-2/12Kh18N9T in the ratio of 50 : 50 and 75 : 25, respectively. It is shown that with an increase in the steel content from 10 to 75%, there is an increase in the average friction coefficient and wear intensity. There is a change in the wear mechanism from excessive plastic deformation to abrasive wear. This transition is accompanied by a decrease in the fluctuations of the friction coefficient values. Despite the presence of subsurface defects in alloys with a large amount of steel, their average friction coefficient values are in the range of smaller values (0.38–0.42) compared to materials known from the literature, the friction coefficient of which is in the range of 0.46–0.52 under comparable tribological test conditions. Thus, the materials are obtained in the work have high properties that allow these materials to be used in the manufacture of highly loaded parts and units of shipping equipment subject to wear under aggressive environments.