Wear of Chromium Carbide-Copper Composites with Continuous Phases

A tribological study has been carried out on a new type of carbide-metal composite, in which the two phases form a continuous skeleton microstructure interwoven throughout the body. The composites' resistance to two-body abrasion is evaluated in a pin-on-drum set-up with diamond and SiC abrasive papers. Also sliding wear and friction tests with steel and alumina as counter materials were undertaken. The composites show promising tribological properties, comparable to those of established wear resistant materials. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the worn surfaces. The implications of the skeleton microstructure on the abrasive wear resistance are discussed on the basis of a wear model for multiphase materials.