BRONZE FRICTION AND WEAR TESTS

Bronze specimens of different composition and structure were subjected, using linear-contact wear meters, to friction tests under conditions of variable loading, constant velocity and with and without lubrication. The tests have revealed two wear mechanisms related to the bronze structure and phase distribution. The transfer of material and wear debris was analyzed. It is demonstrated that the wear mechanisms observed are governed by processes of deformation, transfer, and oxidation. The wear-reducing effect of the presence of phosphorus and surface-active agents in the bronze is shown. An interpretation of wear mechanisms in two-phase bronzes is proposed.