Wear Behaviour of Graphene-Reinforced Ti-Cu Waste-Metal Friction Composites Fabricated with Spark Plasma Sintering

In this study, we fabricated Ti-Cu-based friction composites containing waste-metal (Ti, CuZn, stainless steel (SSt), MgAl), Al2O3 due to improving properties and its good compatibility with copper and graphene nanoplatelets as reinforcement and lubricant component, using planetary ball mill and technique based on Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). Understanding the wear behaviour of such engineered friction composites is essential to improve their material design and safety, as these materials could have the potential for use in public and industrial transportation, such as high-speed rail trains and aircraft or cars. This is why our study is focused on wear behaviour during friction between function parts of devices. We investigated the composite materials designed by us in order to clarify their microstructural state and mechanical properties. Using different loading conditions, we determined the Coefficient of Friction (COF) using a ball-on-disc tribological test. We analysed the state of the samples after the mentioned test using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), then Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and confocal microscopy. Also, a comparative analysis of friction properties with previously studied materials was performed. The results showed that friction composites with different compositions, despite the same conditions of their compaction during sintering, can be defined by different wear characteristics. Our study can potentially have a significant contribution to the understanding of wear mechanisms of Ti-Cu-based composites with incorporated metal-waste and to improving their material design and performance. Also, it can give us information about the possibilities of reusing metal-waste from different machining operations.