Dependance of Wear of Cu-Cr-S Alloy on Hardness and Electrical Conductivity in Sliding Electrical Contact

Abstract:

Wear of material in unlubricated sliding type electrical contact (e.g. contact wires for trolleys and rotor materials in electric engines and current generators) is one of the main failure causing modes of copper (Cu)-based alloys. High electrical conductivity, high tensile strength, suitable hardness and wear resistance under such conditions should be provided. In a present paper required properties of dispersion-hardened Cu-based electrical conductive alloy (Cu-0.68 wt. % Cr-0.02 wt. % S) were obtained by equal-channel angular press treatment with following six press treatments by B_c route and suitable heat treatment. The wear tests were carried out in unlubricated sliding pair with graphite disk. Optimal properties were reached after annealing at 450 °C for 1 h, exhibiting a lowest wear rate (~1.9268·10^-9 g·m^-1), high electrical conductivity (up to 95 % IACS) and Vickers microhardness up to 1.7 GPa, respectively.

• Periodical: Solid State Phenomena (Volume 267)
• Pages: 229-233
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.267.229
• Online since: October 2017
• Authors: Lembit Kommel*, Janis Baroninš
• Keywords: Cu-Based Alloy, Electrical Conductivity, Hardness, Ultrafine-Grained Microstructure, Wear

References

[1] U. S. B. of Standards, Copper wire tables. Washington: Govt. print. off., (1914).

[2] R. Ritasalo, M. Antonov, R. Veinthal and S.P. Hannula, Comparison of the wear and frictional properties of Cu matrix composites prepared by pulsed electric current sintering, Proc. Est. Acad. Scien. 63 (10) (2014) 62-74.

DOI: 10.3176/proc.2014.1.09

[3] O.F. Higuera-Cobos and J.M. Cabrera, Mechanical, microstructural and electrical evolution of commercially pure copper processed by equal channel angular extrusion, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 571 (2013) 103-114.

DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2013.01.076

[4] J. Pirso, M. Viljus, S. Letunovitš, K. Juhani and R. Joost, Three-body abrasive wear of cermets, Wear, 271 (11) (2011) 2868-2878.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2011.06.005

[5] B. Yao, Z. Han and K. Lu, Correlation between wear resistance and subsurface recrystallization structure in copper, Wear 294 (2012) 438-445.

DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2012.07.008

[6] D.A. Rigney and S. Karthikeyan, The evolution of tribomaterial during sliding: a brief introduction, Tribol. Lett. 39 (1) (2010) 3-7.

DOI: 10.1007/s11249-009-9498-3

[7] Y. Champion and H.J. Fecht, Nano-Architectured and Nanostructured Materials: Fabrication, Control and Properties. Publisher John Wiley & Sons 2006, (2006).

DOI: 10.1002/3527606017

[8] N. Lugo, N. Llorca, J.J. Suñol and J. M. Cabrera, Thermal stability of ultrafine grains size of pure copper obtained by equal-channel angular pressing, J. Mater. Sci. 45 (9) (2010) 2264-2273.

DOI: 10.1007/s10853-009-4139-7

[9] L. Kommel and A. Pokatilov, Electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of Cu-0. 7 wt. % Cr and Cu-1. 0 wt. % Cr alloys processed by severe plastic deformation, IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. 63 (1) (2014) 12169-12176.

DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/63/1/012169

[10] A.P. Zhilyaev, A. Morozova, J.M. Cabrera, R. Kaibyshev and T.G. Langdon, Wear resistance and electroconductivity in a Cu–0. 3Cr–0. 5Zr alloy processed by ECAP, J. Mater. Sci. 52 (1) (2017) 305-313.

DOI: 10.1007/s10853-016-0331-8

[11] L. Kommel, Tribological behavior at dry sliding by electric current of Cu-Cr-S alloy after equal channel angular pressing, Key Eng. Mater. 721 (2016) 430-435.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.721.430

[12] L. Kommel, N. Pardis and E. Kimmar, Micromechanical properties and electrical conductivity of Cu and Cu-0. 7wt% Cr alloy, Proceedings of 9th International DAAAM Baltic Conference Industrial Engineering, (2014) 354-359.

[13] R.K. Islamgaliev, K.M. Nesterov, J. Bourgon, Y. Champion and R.Z. Valiev, Nanostructured Cu-Cr alloy with high strength and electrical conductivity, J. Appl. Phys. 115 (19) (2014) 194301-194301-4.

DOI: 10.1063/1.4874655