Effect of Rare Earth Y on the Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Friction of Sn-Babbitt Alloy

Babbitt alloy is a bearing material with excellent properties, including good anti-friction wear resistance, embeddedness, corrosion, and compliance, as well as sufficient bearing capacity. However, with the development of engines to have high speed and heavy load, the use of Babbitt alloy as a bearing material exposes its weaknesses of low bearing capacity, insufficient fatigue strength and a sharp decline in mechanical properties with an increase in working temperature. Therefore, its application scope is gradually narrowed and subject to certain limitations. Improving the tensile strength and wear resistance of tin-based Babbitt alloy is of great significance to expanding its application. In this study, tin-based Babbitt alloy was taken as the main research object; the particle size, microstructure, mechanical properties, and friction were systematically studied after the single addition of Y-Cu composite in tin-based Babbitt alloy liquid. The wear performance and the strengthening, toughening and wear mechanisms of tin-based Babbitt alloy were investigated under the action of Y in order to prepare a high-performance tin-based Babbitt alloy for bimetallic bearing. It was found that when rare-earth Y was added to the Babbitt alloy body, the wear properties were greatly improved.