Tribological Properties of Boron Carbide Reinforced Copper Based Composites

Abstract

In this study, a boron carbide (B4C) reinforced copper based Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) manufactured by powder metallurgy method and tribological behavior of compacted composites were investigated. B4C reinforcement was selected at different ratio from 2%wt to 10%wt. Powders was compacted under 735±1 MPa pressure in a die with cold pressing method. Sintering of the samples was performed at two different sintering time as 1 hour and 3 hours under Ar gas atmosphere at 900 °C. Tribological tests were performed by using a computer aided pin-on-disc experimental setup under dry sliding conditions. Tribological tests were performed from 1 hour to 5 hours. And wearing surfaces were investigated in a Scanning Electron Microscope SEM) and mechanisms of the wear were detected. In addition to that tribological behavior and porosity properties of the manufactured samples were investigated. It was found that the porosity of the samples was increased with increasing B4C content. Nevertheless, wear resistivity increased with increasing reinforcement content.