Quasicrystalline materials that combine aperiodic order and unique physical and mechanical properties are of considerable interest as promising components of abrasive tools. The Al62Cu25.5Fe12.5 alloy, which has high hardness and chemical inertness, is one of the most studied quasicrystalline materials. This work is devoted to the study of the wear resistance of an abrasive based on Al62Cu25.5Fe12.5 when rubbing against soft metals such as aluminum and copper.
Manufacturing of abrasive samples: Quasi-crystalline alloy Al62Cu25.5Fe12.5 was obtained by rapid melt solidification. The material was then crushed to the required fraction and used to manufacture abrasive wheels with different concentrations of quasi-crystalline powder.
In this paper, the behavior of the quasicrystalline copper-aluminum alloy Al62Cu25.5Fe12.5 during abrasive polishing was studied. For comparison, samples of austenitic stainless steel and traditional hard abrasives were used: diamond, aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide.
In contrast to the standard abrasives, the quasi-crystalline abrasive showed a predominant wear mechanism similar to lubrication. This is confirmed by the reduction in the size of the depressions relative to the depth of material removal.
Due to the ability to create a smooth surface with minimal material removal, quasicrystals can find application in areas where low wear and precision surface finishing are required.
Wear tests: The tests were conducted on a pin-on-disk tribometer, where the pin was a soft metal sample (aluminum or copper) and the disk was an abrasive wheel. Friction parameters such as load, sliding speed, and test time were varied. Wear was assessed by the loss of sample mass and change in surface roughness.
The analysis of the results showed that the abrasive based on Al62Cu25.5Fe12.5 demonstrates high wear resistance when rubbing against soft metals. The friction coefficient and wear intensity depended on the friction parameters and the concentration of quasi-crystalline powder in the abrasive wheel. It was found that an increase in load and sliding speed leads to an increase in wear, however, the quasi-crystalline abrasive demonstrates significantly less wear compared to traditional abrasive materials.
Quasi-crystalline alloy Al62Cu25.5Fe12.5 is a promising material for creating abrasive tools designed for processing soft metals. High wear resistance and controlled friction parameters allow using this material for precision processing and finishing of surfaces.
Author: Yongjun Chen,Jianbin Qiang, Chuang Dong
Institute: Key Laboratory of Material Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams (Ministry of Education), Department of Material Science and Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China