Zn-Based Alloys for Plain Bearings—Influence of Al and Cu Content on Mechanical Properties
In recent decades, the requirements for plain bearing materials have continually increased, especially with new applications such as wind turbines, which require larger bearings. These new applications have completely different property profiles compared with, for example, bearings in automotive con...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Materials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/17/5/1062 |
| _version_ | 1797264200092876800 |
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| author | Angelika Kiefel Steffen Gimmler Christoph Broeckmann Uwe Vroomen |
| author_facet | Angelika Kiefel Steffen Gimmler Christoph Broeckmann Uwe Vroomen |
| author_sort | Angelika Kiefel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent decades, the requirements for plain bearing materials have continually increased, especially with new applications such as wind turbines, which require larger bearings. These new applications have completely different property profiles compared with, for example, bearings in automotive construction. Larger bearings need high strength and wear resistance, which established bearing materials cannot fulfill. Therefore, new alloy systems are required. This publication focuses on the influence of alloy composition and test temperature on the mechanical properties of ZnAlCu alloys. Centrifugally cast specimens were produced for the fabrication of test specimens, which were used to determine the mechanical and tribological properties. Fracture surface and wear trace analysis with scanning electron and light microscopy were used to determine occurring failure and wear mechanisms and to analyze the influence of microstructure on failure. Depending on the composition of the ZnAlCu alloys, up to three times higher strengths can be achieved compared with the white metal alloy SnSb12Cu6ZnAg. Furthermore, all the alloys investigated show good wear properties. Up to 11 wt.% aluminum and 1.5 wt.% copper, a significant decrease in the wear coefficient was observed. Knowledge about the correlation between microstructure, properties, and failure mechanisms of ZnAlCu alloys can be used to produce bearing metal alloys suitable for a wide range of applications. Since the strength values lie between those of white metals and bronze, new fields of application can also be accessed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:25:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1865fb0a6ba64aef954a3220af9d3511 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:25:07Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-1865fb0a6ba64aef954a3220af9d35112024-03-12T16:49:08ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442024-02-01175106210.3390/ma17051062Zn-Based Alloys for Plain Bearings—Influence of Al and Cu Content on Mechanical PropertiesAngelika Kiefel0Steffen Gimmler1Christoph Broeckmann2Uwe Vroomen3Institute for Materials Applications in Mechanical Engineering, 52062 Aachen, GermanyFoundry Institute, RWTH Aachen University, 52072 Aachen, GermanyInstitute for Materials Applications in Mechanical Engineering, 52062 Aachen, GermanyFoundry Institute, RWTH Aachen University, 52072 Aachen, GermanyIn recent decades, the requirements for plain bearing materials have continually increased, especially with new applications such as wind turbines, which require larger bearings. These new applications have completely different property profiles compared with, for example, bearings in automotive construction. Larger bearings need high strength and wear resistance, which established bearing materials cannot fulfill. Therefore, new alloy systems are required. This publication focuses on the influence of alloy composition and test temperature on the mechanical properties of ZnAlCu alloys. Centrifugally cast specimens were produced for the fabrication of test specimens, which were used to determine the mechanical and tribological properties. Fracture surface and wear trace analysis with scanning electron and light microscopy were used to determine occurring failure and wear mechanisms and to analyze the influence of microstructure on failure. Depending on the composition of the ZnAlCu alloys, up to three times higher strengths can be achieved compared with the white metal alloy SnSb12Cu6ZnAg. Furthermore, all the alloys investigated show good wear properties. Up to 11 wt.% aluminum and 1.5 wt.% copper, a significant decrease in the wear coefficient was observed. Knowledge about the correlation between microstructure, properties, and failure mechanisms of ZnAlCu alloys can be used to produce bearing metal alloys suitable for a wide range of applications. Since the strength values lie between those of white metals and bronze, new fields of application can also be accessed.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/17/5/1062hardnesscompression testtensile testfracture analysistribological test |
| spellingShingle | Angelika Kiefel Steffen Gimmler Christoph Broeckmann Uwe Vroomen Zn-Based Alloys for Plain Bearings—Influence of Al and Cu Content on Mechanical Properties Materials hardness compression test tensile test fracture analysis tribological test |
| title | Zn-Based Alloys for Plain Bearings—Influence of Al and Cu Content on Mechanical Properties |
| title_full | Zn-Based Alloys for Plain Bearings—Influence of Al and Cu Content on Mechanical Properties |
| title_fullStr | Zn-Based Alloys for Plain Bearings—Influence of Al and Cu Content on Mechanical Properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Zn-Based Alloys for Plain Bearings—Influence of Al and Cu Content on Mechanical Properties |
| title_short | Zn-Based Alloys for Plain Bearings—Influence of Al and Cu Content on Mechanical Properties |
| title_sort | zn based alloys for plain bearings influence of al and cu content on mechanical properties |
| topic | hardness compression test tensile test fracture analysis tribological test |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/17/5/1062 |
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