Effects of Friction Velocity and Current Density on Current-Carrying Friction and Wear Properties of Copper Matrix Composites

Two kinds of copper matrix composites of 3%SiC-10%C-87%Cu and 10%C-90%Cu were fabricated by powder metallurgic method,and then current-carrying friction and wear testing was carried on.The effects of friction velocity and current density on arcing rate and current-carrying efficient,friction coefficient and wear rate of the two kinds of composites were studied.The results indicate that the friction coefficient of SiC/C/Cu composite was higher than that of the C/Cu composite,but the wear rate of the former was lower under the same conditions.The arcing rate was determined by the conditions of material surface and current density,but the current-carrying efficient was mainly influenced by the arcing rate.For the two kinds of composite,the arcing rate was less than 10% and the current-carrying efficient was higher than 85% at the fricion velocity of 10-25 m·s-1,their arcing rate exhibited a sharp increase and the current-carrying efficient exhibited a sharp decrease when the friction rate increased to 30 m·s-1.With the increase of current density,the arcing rate of the two kinds of composites increased gradually and the current-carrying efficient reduced gradually.