Abstract
The wear properties of copper and copper silicon carbide composites processed by powder metallurgy (PM) and high-pressure torsion (HPT) under different sliding distances and applied loads by using dry reciprocated sliding wear test were investigated. HPT improves wear resistance obviously not only relative to PM samples and but also to results previously noted for different Cu composites. The grain refinement with the formation of bimodal and trimodal microstructures after HPT processing improves the wear properties. Wear mechanism depends mainly on material processing method, it converted from adhesive, delamination in the case of PM samples into abrasive wear after HPT. X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis and surface morphology observations of the worn samples and WC ball prove and support the wear results.
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•HPTed Cu and Cu-SiC with fine grains and particles sizes have high wear resistance.•HPTed samples have superior wear properties than those noted of PM samples.•HPT processing decreases variation range and the average value of COF of samples.•Wear mechanism transforms from adhesive and delamination into abrasive after HPT.•EDS tracing of O2 and W and worn surface morphology confirm wear results and mechanisms.