Mechanical and tribological properties of composite made of marble dust-reinforced C93200 copper alloy

Composite materials are unique because reveal great physical, mechanical and thermal properties. However, there is yet huge potential to enhance their features by adding specific reinforcement in the matrix in order to reach the requirements of a particular application. This paper presents detailed research on the impact of marble dust reinforcement to mechanical and tribological features of copper based metal alloy (C93200 series) composites dedicated for bearing applications. The novel composites made with marble dust reinforcement (1.5 to 6.0 wt%) were manufactured using the liquid metal stir casting technique. A micro-hardness tester and universal testing machine (Instron-5967) were used to obtain the mechanical properties. While, the POD tribometer was engaged to detect the wear features by simulating various operating conditions by setting the temperature constant (35 degrees C). The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to investigate the wear mechanisms produced at the hard contact between the composites with different marble content against an EN-31 hardened steel disc. The data gathered in this research proves an improvement in the mechanical properties, especially for a higher reinforcement ratio of novel composite, in respect to the matrix alloy. Furthermore, the novel marble dust reinforced composites reveal much better wear resistance in respect to un-reinforced composite that make it suitable for bearing application.