The Effect of Bottom Ash Additions on the Properties of Sintered Bronze-Graphite Composites

Abstract

The aim of this research was to study the effect of bottom ash additions to a bronze-graphite composite on the sintering behavior, as well as on the resultant physical, mechanical and tribological properties. The composites were produced by a powder metallurgy technique from prealloyed Cu-10Sn bronze powder, graphite powder and milled bottom ash powder. The compositions studied were Cu-10Sn bronze with constant 5 wt.% graphite, and 0-20 wt.% bottom ash. Samples were die compacted under 795 MPa and sintered at 850 oC for 30 minutes in an open atmosphere furnace. It was found that the sintered density of the composites decreased with increasing amounts of bottom ash. The hardness of the samples increased with bottom ash additions and reached a maximum at 5 wt.% and decreased with further additions. The frictional properties were studied using a ball-on-disc test at ambient temperature. It was found that both the friction coefficient and the wear rate were increased with increasing amounts of bottom ash.