Development of high-temperature wear-resistant Cu-Mo composites through microwave hybrid heating

The present work investigates the microstructure, hardness, and high-temperature tribological performance of copper molybdenum (Cu-Mo) composites produced through microwave hybrid heating (MHH). Cu-based metal-matrix composites containing 5%, 10%, and 15% Mo powders were prepared in a household microwave oven. SEM, EDS, and XRD were utilized to characterize the cast samples. Charcoal was used as a susceptor in the composite casting process to promote uniform heating and improve casting quality. Hardness increased significantly with Mo content, based on mechanical characterization; the Cu-15%Mo sample had a peak hardness of 99.82 ± 4.99 HV, which was 1.61 times greater than pure Cu. A high-temperature pin-on-disc tribometer operating at 400°C with different loads and sliding velocities was used for tribological analysis under the influence of the Taguchi L9 orthogonal array design. When compared to pure Cu, the Cu-15%Mo composite showed the lowest wear (2.36 × 10 −3 mg/s), resulting in a 69.5% reduction in wear. Wear debris was analyzed using SEM and XRD, which supported the development of protective oxide layers and the function of Mo in enhancing wear resistance.