Investigation of compact part production from rapidly solidified melt spinning CuAl10Ni5Fe4 alloy powders and analysing tribological properties

In this study, copper based rapidly solidified CuAl10Ni5Fe4 alloy powders have been produced by melt spinning method and the effect of production parameters on the morphology and microstructure of the produced powders was investigated. The compact part was manufactured from the powders by powder metallurgy processes and the tribological properties of compacted parts were determined by pin-on disc test apparatus. Two types of discs which have plain and textured surfaces were used to investigate the effect of disc surface shape on the morphology of produced powders. The powder production was carried out with two different disc temperatures; one is room temperature and the other is -5 °C which was achieved by freon gas cooling. The sizes of produced powders were decreased by ball milling in a surfactant active atmosphere. The compact parts were produced by powder metallurgy processes such as pressing and sintering by using ball milled powders and friction and wear tests of compacted parts were performed an the block-on disc type tribology testing device. The characterization analysis such as SEM, EDS, XRD and DSC for produced powders and compacted parts were performed. The microstructure of the rapidly solidified melt spinning powders is martensite phase and the microstructure of the powders shifted to α-copper matrix and intermetallic compounds dispersed on the matrix after sintering process. Austenite-martensite transformation temperature of the powders decreased as a result of rapid solidification of powders and the tribological properties of powders was affected positively by rapid solidification process. Key words: Melt spinning method, CuAl10Ni5Fe4 alloy, Rapid solidification, Tribology.