Effect of Magnesium Content on Machinability of Cu-Zn-Bi-Sb Alloy

• Published in: Materials science forum Vol. 850; pp. 544 - 548
• Main Authors: Gan, Chun Lei, Wang, Hai Yan, Zhou, Nan, Zheng, Kaihong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pfaffikon Trans Tech Publications Ltd 01.03.2016
• Subjects: Machinability; Lead-Free Machinable Brass; Magnesium Content
• ISSN: 0255-5476; 1662-9752; 1662-9752
• DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.850.544

In order to develop high-performance lead-free brasses, the effect of magnesium content on the machinability of lead-free brass alloys was carefully studied in the present work. The ingots of the Cu-Zn-Bi-Sb alloy were fabricated in terms of different magnesium contents of 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 wt%. The difference in the machinability of the Cu-Zn-Bi-Sb alloy ingots was discussed in terms of their microstructure, mechanical properties and chip morphologies. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that α phase (0~38 Zn by atom %), β phase (45~49 Zn by atom %), CuMgSb and CuMgZn existed in the Cu-Zn-Bi-Sb alloys with the different magnesium contents. With increasing the content of magnesium, the machinability of the present lead-free brass alloys was markedly improved, which is mainly attributed to the formation of intermetallic compounds such as CuMgSb and CuMgZn.