Combined effects of graphite and sulfide on the tribological properties of bronze under dry conditions

The present study describes the tribological properties of penetrated-graphite bronze containing micro-sized sulfide under dry conditions. The graphite penetration was carried out by means of roller burnishing. Micro shot peening was also applied in order to fabricate micro dimples in the penetrated graphite. The graphite area fraction was approximately 50%. The tribological properties were evaluated using a face-to-face type testing apparatus under dry conditions. The results showed that the friction coefficient of the sulfide-containing bronze decreased and the seizure resistance properties significantly increased. The friction distance until seizure occurrence was improved to more than 2.5 times. Furthermore, the friction coefficient was low and stable until the end of the experiment. It was inferred that the friction resistance was decreased and stabilized when the transfer layer was without Fe content.