Effect of Equal Channel Angular Pressing on Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Sintered Al-Sn Composites.

Evolution of structure of two-phase sintered Al-Sn composites during equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) without rotation of the sample between the passes (route A) was studied. The macrostructure with alternating thin Al and Sn interlayers was formed in the flow plane of the samples under the ECAP processing. It was found that the law of the changes in the parameters of the structure of the composites can be described using the geometry of ECAP. The greatest changes in the macrostructural parameters and increase in the strength of the composites were observed during the first two passes. The consequence of the thinning of aluminum interlayers is an increase in the depth of deformation of the subsurface layer and decrease in distance between tin interlayers which are sources of solid lubricant. As a result, the wear intensity of the sintered Al-Sn composites is additionally decreased under dry friction against steel if the sliding direction is perpendicular to the elongated phases interlayers. It was established that the composite containing about 40% Sn has the highest wear resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]