High-speed sliding characteristics of Cu–Sn-based composite materials containing lamellar solid lubricants by contact resistance studies

The authors have conducted a number of experiments with focus on the low-speed sliding characteristics (System about 3.6 mm/s) of composite materials containing lamellar solid lubricants such as MoS2 and WS2, and have examined the optimal composition and other conditions. In recent years, however, demands for high-speed sliding contact have increased in various practical fields. In this paper, the authors have examined the applicability of sliding electric contact materials with focus on changes in contact resistance and coefficient of friction when the revolution speed was increased up to a maximum speed of about 2000 rpm (2.1 m/s) in contact between a pin and a cylindrical circular surface. As a result, in a sliding contact between copper and composite materials containing a lamellar solid lubricant, wear loss decreased by over a figure compared with copper–copper contact, as one of the merits. It has been clarified that within composite materials based on Cu–Sn, the composite materials CMML-10 and CMML-11, which contain only WS2 and graphite, showed excellent sliding characteristics.