Current-carrying friction and wear behavior between ODS Cu and MnS/7075Al composite

Abstract Reducing the interface damage of Cu-Al friction pairs under extreme conditions is a problem that urgently needs to be solved. In this work, a strategy of 5 wt% MnS/7075 Al fabricated via powder metallurgy was proposed to break off the predicament. Comprehensive evaluation was conducted on the friction and wear performance of the oxide-dispersion-strengthened copper (ODS-Cu) friction pair under 0-30A current carrying conditions at peak electrical loading (30 A), the MnS/7075 Al composite reduced the friction coefficient from 0.393 to 0.320 (−18.3%) and the wear rate from 0.022% to 0.0015% (−93%) relative to powder metallurgy (PM) 7075 Al. The lubrication mechanism is attributed to the formation of a continuous MnS-derived lubricating layer at the tribo-interface, which synergistically interacts with Al 2 O 3 generated through Al matrix surface oxidation during frictional processes, establishing a composite protective structure that effectively suppresses Al adhesive transfer phenomena. The composite achieves synergistic optimization of friction reduction and wear resistance, providing theoretical insights for designing highly reliable Cu-Al friction pairs in extreme environments.