Detailed assessments of tribological properties of binder jetting printed stainless steel and tungsten carbide infiltrated with bronze

Tribological behaviors of 316SS/bronze (BJP316), 420SS/bronze (BJP420) and WC/bronze (BJPWC) composites fabricated using binder jetting were evaluated systematically by using a scratch tester and dry reciprocating ball-on-disc tribometer under various loads. The results showed that the BJP316, BJP420 and BJPWC are mainly subjected to delamination, abrasion and spalling damages, respectively. The scratch resistance mainly depends on the soft bronze infiltrant. The friction coefficients in dry sliding all decrease with increasing loads, whereas the wear rates present different trends with loads. All composites exhibit comparable wear resistance to traditionally fabricated counterparts. The findings will help to improve the tribological design of mechanical elements fabricated by binder jetting and lay the foundation for the applications in the tribological field.