Tribological properties of Cu-based composites and in situ synthesis of TiN/TiB2

Tribological properties of Cu-based P/M friction composites using h-BN as solid lubricants containing 3.0, 6.0, and 10.0 wt% Ti were investigated. Structures of Cu-based composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and tribological tests were carried out on a block-on-ring tester. XRD results show that TiB2 and TiN were in situ synthesized. The composite containing 3.0% Ti is the low hardness and much higher wear rates for low content of in situ synthesized TiB2 and TiN. The Cu-composite containing 6.0% Ti is appropriate hardness, plasticity, and relatively low wear rates. The Cu-based composite containing 10.0 wt% is the highest hardness and show the deteriorate wear rate for its high brittleness with the increase amounts of in situ synthesized TiN and TiB2. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.