Performance Improvement of Tin-Based Babbitt Alloy Through Control of Microstructure

Babbitt alloys are among the most commonly used materials for sliding bearings. However, with the high speeds and heavy loads of modern machinery, as well as the demands of extreme working conditions, the temperature resistance, strength, and hardness of traditional Babbitt alloys are often insufficient to meet these requirements. To address this issue, it is essential to improve the properties of Babbitt alloys, particularly their performance at high temperatures. The present study explored a technical approach for incorporating copper powder to improve the high-temperature performance of Babbitt alloys. Copper powder was added to the traditional Babbitt alloy in mass percentages of 1, 2, 3, and 4%. After fabrication, the samples were examined using metallographic structure analysis, high-temperature compression testing, and friction and wear testing. The experiments investigated the effects of copper powder addition on the properties of the Babbitt alloy and determined the optimal amount of copper powder required to enhance its performance.