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The paper presents the results of research aimed at developing assumptions for the preparation of a charge in the form of fine scrap copper alloys (chips/shells) guaranteeing effective removal of impurities and obtaining a metal bath of the required metallurgical quality. The tests were conducted for tin-zinc-lead bronze of the CC499K grade. As part of the work, the characteristics of this type of waste available on the market were made in terms of quality and the possibility of their use for the production of both alloys and finished products, taking into account the elimination of harmful impurities that may ultimately affect the production process adversely. The subject of the work was the selection of appropriate waste cleaning methods in the form of an oily shell in the CC499K (CuZn5Sn5Pb2) grade and its drying in terms of increasing the use of impure waste from machining as scrap for direct melting. The waste was assessed in relation to individual parametres. The research was carried out on 3 groups of waste, with varying degrees of moisture.

The article presents tests on a new lead-free bronze CuSn4Zn2PS, intended for fittings for contact with drinking water, in which the addition of lead was replaced with sulphur. The subject of the experimental work was the production of semi-finished products from this alloy based on the charge coming entirely from waste generated after machining. A specialized pilot line was used for the tests, and after cleaning, the waste was melted and then were continuously cast in the form of rods and hollow rods. The cleaning efficiency was assessed, and the manufactured semi-finished products were subjected to tests, including the assessment of the chemical and mechanical homogeneity and the structure of the test batch of the semi-finished casting products in terms of the possibility of manufacturing products meeting the requirements of technical specifications. The obtained results, both in terms of a stable chemical composition, homogeneous and reproducible mechanical properties, fully compliant with the specifications for fittings bronzes (CC499K), as well as the lack of faults of the obtained semi-finished products, despite a very large share of waste material, indicate the possibility of using the tested recycling method for the production of semi-products of sulphur bronze, which is an alloy that is relatively difficult to manufacture.

This paper presents the results of research concerning the evaluation of tribological properties of graphite materials used, among others, for crystallisers for continuous casting of non-ferrous metals and their alloys. Graphite materials differing not only in their physical properties but also in the technology of their production were selected from a wide range of commercially available products. Wear resistance investigations of the tested graphite materials were carried out on a pin-on-disc tribometer under technically dry friction conditions on a sliding distance of 1000 m. A constant load but variable speed was used in the tests. The mean value of the coefficient of friction and the wear of the material were determined based on the tribological tests carried out. It was observed that as the speed increases, the average value of the coefficient of friction decreases, while the wear increases. A microstructural analysis of the wear track showed that the friction mechanism depends mainly on the graphite formation technology, which is related to the microstructure of the tested materials, and to a lesser extent to their physical and mechanical properties. Varying the speed values made it possible to trace changes in the wear mechanism, on the basis of which it is possible to predict the durability and reliability of graphite crystalliser operation.

In this study, the influence of the variable content of Al, Ni, Fe on the grain refining and the change of mechanical properties of aluminium bronze cast into iron ingot mould was investigated. The ingots were tested for susceptibility to cold plastic working in the rolling process. It was shown that a small amount of iron (0,8 wt. %) influenced a significant level of grain refining and improvement of mechanical properties. For alloys with an increased content of Al, Fe and Ni, the maximum value of the true strain of 0,36 was achieved in the cold rolling process. The possibility of achieving similar mechanical properties for alloy with reduced content of alloying elements was demonstrated after applying the true strain of 0,61.

The research conducted in this paper concerns the influence of the continuous casting process of tin-zinc-lead bronze on the wear of the graphite crystallizer. Observations and testing of the external surface of the cast rods indicate their good quality, without casting defects. No excessive surface degradation was observed on the inner surface of the crystallizers after casting. It was assessed that the surface quality of the crystallizer would be acceptable for further use, despite stuck residue, mainly in the crystallization zone.

The paper presents results of the studies into production of copper-based composite materials for slide bearings. The studied materials covered tin bronze based composites with addition of lubricating phases in a form of graphite. The composite materials were prepared by melting and casting with simultaneous stirring. The titanium was introduced to the metal matrix in order to improve wettability of the graphite particles. The lowest average value of the coefficient of friction was reached with the CuSn10/graphite 45 μm composite which contained 0,4 % Ti. Low coefficients of friction and wear of the friction pair were also reached with other examined composites in CuSn10 matrix.

In the case of copper and its alloys, Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) 3D printing technology is mainly used to produce elements for the maritime industry and research has focused on the use of Cu-Al alloys. There is little information devoted to the use of Cu-Ni alloys in this technology, which are also widely used in the maritime industry. In this work, tests were carried out on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion properties in a 1M NaCl solution of Cu-Ni 90/10 alloy 3D walls printed using the WAAM method. The obtained objects are characterized by a microstructure with elongated column grains and particles of the Ni-Ti phase, hardness in the range of 138-160 HV10, ultimate tensile strength of 495-520 MPa, yield strength of 342-358 MPa, elongation of 16.6-17.9%, and a low average corrosion rate of 7.4 × 10 -5 mm/year. The work shows that it is possible to obtain higher mechanical properties of Cu-Ni 90/10 alloy 3D objects produced using the WAAM method compared to cast materials, which opens up the possibility of using this alloy to produce objects with more complex shapes and for use in corrosive working conditions.

This paper presents research on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an alloyed composite copper (Cu) surface layer, reinforced with a mixture of chromium-tungsten carbide (Cr-WC) powders. Copper alloying was performed using a high-power diode laser (HPDL). In the tests, three mixtures of powders with different percentage contents (75%Cr 25%WC, 50%Cr 50%WC, 25%Cr 75%WC) were injected into the melting pool during the laser surface alloying process. Microstructural evolution and the properties of the surface layer of copper after laser alloying were investigated. Structural investigations were performed using light microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Microhardness and wear resistance of the modified surface layer were examined as well. After laser treatment the applied powders appear as uniformly distributed particles in the alloyed zone as well as nanoscale precipitates in the Cu matrix. Several types of precipitate characteristics, in terms of morphology, structure and chemical composition, were observed. Laser alloying of the surface layer modified the microstructure, which resulted in an increase in the hardness of the surface layers compared to the base material.

Today's world is a place where lack of electrical energy would be unimaginable for most of society. All the conductors in the world, both aluminum and copper, have their origin in various types of casting lines where the liquid metal after crystallization is being processed into the form of wires and microwires. However, the efficiency of the continuous casting processes of metals and the final quality of the manufactured product strictly depend on the design of the used crystallizers, the materials used during its production and its quality. Research conducted in this paper focuses on the latter, i.e., external surface quality of the graphite crystallizer at the place of contact with the primary cooling system. In order to quantify its influence on the continuous casting process numerical analyses using the finite element method has been conducted, which results have been further confirmed during empirical tests in laboratory conditions. It has been proven with all of the proposed methods that the temperature of the obtained cast rod is closely linked to the aforementioned surface quality, as when its roughness coefficient surpasses a certain value the temperature of the obtained product increases almost twofold from approx. 150-170 °C to 300-320 °C. These values might influence the quality and final properties of the cast rod, the susceptibility to wire drawing process and possible formation of wire drawing defects and therefore be of much importance to the casting and processing industry.

The article presents the influence of mechanical alloying and plastic consolidation on the resistance to arc erosion of the composite Ag-Re material against the selected contact materials. The following composites were selected for the tests: Ag90Re10, Ag95Re5, Ag99Re1 (bulk chemical composition). Ag-Re materials were made using two methods. In the first, the materials were obtained by mixing powders, pressing, sintering, extrusion, drawing, and die forging, whereas, in the second, the process of mechanical alloying was additionally used. The widely available Ag(SnO 2 )10 and AgNi10 contact materials were used as reference materials. The reference AgNi10 material was made by powder metallurgy in the process of mixing, pressing, sintering, extrusion, drawing, and die forging, while the Ag(SnO 2 )10 composite was obtained by spraying AgSniBi alloy with water, and then the powder was pressed, oxidized internally, sintered, extruded into wire, and drawn and die forged. The tests of electric arc resistance were carried out for loads with direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). For alternating current (I = 60 A, U = 230 V), 15,000 switching cycles were made, while, for constant current 50,000 (I = 10 A, U = 550 V). A positive effect of the mechanical alloying process and the addition of a small amount of rhenium (1% by mass) on the spark erosion properties of the Ag-Re contact material was found. When DC current of 10 A was used, AgRe1 composite was found to be more resistant than commonly used contact materials (AgNi10 and Ag(SnO 2 )10).