Effect of severe plastic deformation on the microstructure and tribological properties of a babbit B83

The effect of severe plastic deformation carried out at room temperature by the methods of equal-channel angular (ECA) pressing and surface friction treatment (SFT) on the microstructure, rate of wear, and friction coefficient of a babbit B83 (11.5% Sb, 5.5% Cu, Sn for balance) has been investigated. It has been shown that severe plastic deformation that leads to a drop in the grain size of the babbit to 100–300 nm and to a strong refinement of particles of intermetallic phases (SnSb, Cu 3 Sn) causes a considerable (twofold-fourfold) reduction in the rate of wear and a decrease in the friction coefficient of a steel-babbit pair under test conditions with lubrication at small (0.07 m/s) and enhanced (4.5 m/s) sliding velocities. As was shown by structural investigations performed with the use of scanning electron microscopy, this positive influence of severe plastic deformation on the tribological properties of the babbit is connected with the formation on the deformed-babbit surface of a developed porosity, which improves conditions for lubrication of the babbit-steel friction pair due to the action of the self-lubrication effect and thereby favors the retention of a stable regime of boundary friction of this pair. The formation of porosity is a result of the accelerated spalling of hard brittle intermetallic particles of SnSb and Cu 3 Sn from the friction surface of the deformed babbit, which is caused by weakening and loss of the bonding of these particles with the plastic matrix (α solid solution based on tin) in the course of severe plastic deformation of the babbit. At the same time, under the conditions of dry sliding friction of the babbit-steel 45 pair, when a fatigue mechanism of wear of the alloy under consideration predominantly develops, this plastic deformation yields an approximately 1.6-fold increase in the rate of wear of the babbit. This increase is mainly due to numerous defects (microcracks) that are introduced into the babbit structure upon its severe plastic deformation and reduce the resistance of the surface layer of this material to the fatigue mechanism of wear.