Studies on the Tribological Properties and Structure of Antifrictional Iron-Containing Aluminum Alloys

Abstract

Experimental aluminum alloys with the addition of iron (about 1%) have been considered in order to simulate alloys obtained from secondary raw materials (wastes of domestic manufacture, scrap, etc.). In particular, the alloys have been studied using sclerometric tests according to a criterion of relative shear strength (τ/σ_mc). The tribological testing of the alloys has been also carried out according to the block-pad and ball–plane schemes of loading. A mathematical model of the wear process has been used to process the results of wear testing for the ball-plane scheme of friction contact. As a result, the wear law parameter K_w has been determined for all of the experimental alloys. The results of testing have confirmed that, in general, it is possible to use aluminum alloys that contain iron for manufacturing monometallic plain bearings. The structure and chemical composition of the surface have been studied for both the initial samples and the samples after testing.