Reciprocating sliding wear characteristics of copper-carbon fiber composites

The effect of fiber orientation and alloy composition on the reciprocating sliding wear behavior of Cu-C fiber composite was studied. The wear volume was smaller than that of Cu alloys. The wear volume increased with increasing sliding load and volume fraction of C fibers above 30 volume percent. The effectiveness of fiber orientation in decreasing the wear volume was the highest for random orientation, medium in the direction perpendicular to the fiber direction, and lowest in the fiber direction. The wear volume was decreased by the addition of Sn and Zr. However, the additions did not achieve isotropic wear characteristics of the composite. Isotropic wear was obtained by the addition of C powder. Isotropic and decreased composite wear were attained by adding Zr and C powder together.