Friction and Wear Behavior of C17200 Copper-Beryllium Alloy in Dry and Wet Environments

The high strength, elasticity, hardness and wear resistance of C17200 copper means it is widely used in motor brushes, bearing sleeves and contact parts. As the requirement for extended reliability and service life of industrial products increases, the demand for high-performance copper-beryllium (Cu-Be) will also increase. In this work, the wear mechanisms of C17200 alloy against GCr15 steel under dry conditions and in a 3.5% NaCl solution were investigated. X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, a three-dimensional profilometer, and x-ray photoelectric spectroscopy were used to evaluate the wear damage and analyze the wear mechanisms involved. The results showed that the wear mechanisms of C17200 alloy under dry wear conditions were mainly adhesive wear, oxidation wear and delamination. During tribocorrosion, the effect of friction promoted the oxidation and corrosion of the specimen surface. The main wear mechanisms of tribocorrosion in a 3.5% NaCl solution were peeling and corrosion wear. In addition, the NaCl solution provided lubrication and could effectively reduce the wear of the materials. The results may guide improvement of the serviceability of Cu-Be materials in industrial environments.