Estudio de la microestructura y de la maquinabilidad de una aleación cobre – cinc (Cu – Zn) al adicionar silicio y ferro silicio en su composición

Abstract

The following research work aims to study the microstructure and machinability of the copper-zinc alloy (Cu - Zn), by adding silicon and ferrosilicon in its composition. In consideration that currently the lead content in faucet products represents a risk to health and the environment, the search for alternative elements such as Si and FeSi allows obtaining similar characteristics to the C38500 alloy. The percentages of silicon’s addition and ferrosilicon were: 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2% by weight. The evaluation of the mechanical, microstructural, and machinability properties was carried out through tests of chemical composition, traction, hardness, metallography, surface finish, chip shape, and wear of the cutting tool. The casting of the specimens was developed with a vertical and horizontal arrangement, in order to establish which one presents the least amount of defects Based on the qualitative and quantitative analyzes of the aforementioned tests, it was determined that the alloy with 1% ferrosilicon with a casting configuration with a test tube in a vertical position is the most feasible choice as a substitute for lead since it provides similar mechanical properties, however, its machinability is lower compared to C38500 material.