Abstract

Effects of the microstrucrure of rapidy solidified Al-Pb-Cu-Mg alloys on the wear investigated. In order to overcome the miscility gap between Al and pb under equilibrium conditions, both in the solid and the liquid states, the alloy were rapidy solidifies to produce them in a segregation-free condition. Although the Pb particles showed relatively fine dispersion in the Al matrix in all the alloys by this process. the Al-16Pb alloy was found to have the most favorable microstructure with discretre with discrete Pb particles of abount 0.5 µm in size. With the addition of Cu and Cu-Mg to Al-16Pb, cellular structures were newly formed; not seen in the binary Al-Pb alloy. Wear properties of the Al-Pb binary alloys measured as a function of the sliding speen, sliding distance, and applied load showed that the Al-16Pb alloy has the best wear resistance, as expected from the fine microstructural features in this alloy. The were resistance of the alloy containing Cu-and Cu-Mg was higher than that of the Al-16Pvb alloy, due to matrix strengthening by precipitation hardeing. The wear mechanism was identified by examining the traces and wear debris.