Rapid sintering of Cu-10 wt% Al-bronze via electric current-assisted sintering: influence of sintering time on microstructure, corrosion properties and wear behaviour
摘要
Aluminium-bronze alloys are widely used in engineering applications due to their strength, wear resistance and corrosion behaviour. This study investigates the production of Cu-10 wt% Al alloys using the electric current-assisted sintering (ECAS) method, with sintering times of 10, 15 and 20 min, under a current range of 850 ± 50 A. The structural properties, phase composition, hardness, wear resistance and corrosion behaviour of the alloys were thoroughly examined. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy analyses revealed that the reactions continued with increasing sintering time. The hardness of the alloys increased with sintering duration, with values of 138 HV0.1, 145 HV0.1 and 176 HV0.1 for the 10, 15 and 20-min sintering times, respectively. After 20 min of sintering, the hardness of the alloy was 2.5 times higher than that of pure Cu and pure Al. The Cu-10 wt% Al alloy sintered for 20 min exhibited superior friction and wear properties, suggesting that prolonged sintering led to the formation of intermetallic phases. Additionally, the corrosion resistance improved with longer sintering times, with the sample sintered for 20 min showing the best protective surface characteristics, attributed to the formation of intermetallic compounds, such as CuAl2. All findings were supported by regression analysis and surface response graphics. These results demonstrate that optimized ECAS parameters can significantly enhance the mechanical and corrosion properties of Cu-Al alloys.