Mechanical and wear properties of Cu-Al-Ni-Fe-Sn-based alloy

To obtain bronze with good mechanical properties and high wear resistance, a new bronze (CADZ) is proposed on the basis of various fundamental information. The CADZ consists of the elements Al10.5, Fe4.2, Sn3.7 and Ni3.1, and its design is based on Cu-Al10.5 alloy. The Cu-10.5%Al is very hard and brittle. To obtain the high material ductility of the Cu-10.5%Al alloy, an attempt was made to add a few percent of Sn. Moreover, to make high strength of the Cu alloy, microstructure with small grains was created by the proper amount of Fe and Ni (Fe/Ni = 0.89). The mechanical properties of the CADZ sample have been examined experimentally, and those were compared with commercial bronzes. The tensile strength and wear resistance of CADZ are higher than those for commercial bronzes. Although the ductility of CADZ is the lower level, the strain to failure of CADZ is about 2.0~5.0% higher than that for the Cu-Al10.5 alloy. Details of the microstructural effects on the mechanical properties in the CADZ sample were further discussed using various experimental results.