1Dept. of Prod. Engg., V.R. Siddhartha Engg. College, Vijayawada-520 007, India.
2Malla Reddy College of Engg. & Technology, Secunderabad-500 014, India.
3Dept. of Mechanical Engg., J.N.T.U. College of Engg., Kakinada-533 003, India.
*Author for correspondence
Cu-20%Zn-fly ash mixtures containing 0–16 wt% fly ash were prepared. Small cylindrical specimens were obtained by single action die compaction over a pressure range of 100 – 450 MPa. The compacts made at 300 MPa were sintered in argon atmosphere at 850, 890 and 930°C, respectively. The green and sintered properties of the compacts were determined as a function of fly ash weight percent. It was observed that green density, ejection pressure and green strength decreased, while spring back increased with increasing weight percent of fly ash. A marginal decrease in volume was observed on sintering of Cu-20%Zn-0%fly ash green compacts. The marginal decrease in volume transformed into volume growth by the addition of fly ash. Sintered density of the compacts was found to decrease with increasing weight percent of fly ash. It was also observed that addition of fly ash resulted in increase in hardness and decrease in compressive yield strength of sintered compacts under the present experimental conditions. Dry sliding wear behavior of copper20%zinc-fly ash composites was also carried out at room temperature using a pin-on-disc machine. Cu-20%Zn-fly ash compacts exhibited better wear resistance compared to copper-20%zinc compacts within the range investigated.
