Effects of Molybdenum Trioxide on the Tribological Properties of Aluminum Bronze under High Temperature Conditions

Abstract

The effect of molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) on the friction and wear of aluminum bronze was studied at the temperature up to 973 K. MoO3 powder supplied to the sliding interface between aluminum bronze and stainless steel reduced friction coefficient and wear of materials at the temperature from 773 to 973 K. Copper-molybdenum oxide was generated by sliding aluminum bronze and stainless steel in presence of MoO3 powder at high temperature. This oxide is supposed to be Cu3Mo2O9 from the results of XRD analysis of the friction track. The authors obtained Cu3Mo2O9 powder by heating the mixture of MoO3 powder and CuO powder in air. The lubricity of Cu3Mo2O9 powder was compared with that of MoO3 powder at the temperature up to 973 K. Cu3Mo2O9 powder reduced wear and friction at the temperature from 773 to 973 K while MoO3 powder could not work as lubricant at the temperature over 873 K.

Keywords

• aluminum bronze
• molybdenum trioxide
• high temperature
• cu3mo2o9
• solid lubricant