Spray-formed high-aluminium bronzes

Unlike standard wrought aluminium bronze, high-performance wrought aluminium bronze with an aluminium content of more than 12 wt.% and additions of iron, cobalt and manganese is difficult to produce by continuous casting. This type of wrought aluminium bronze is much easier to produce by spray forming. With this technology a homogeneous element distribution, a fine and homogeneous grain structure as well as a fine and homogeneous distribution of intermetallic particles in the material can be achieved. Due to its homogeneity the material can be hot worked on an industrial scale. Spray-formed high-aluminium bronzes have a variety of interesting properties such as high hardness between 300 and 400 HB and high mechanical strength at temperatures of up to 250 degrees C, softening resistance and good machining properties. Spray-formed aluminium bronzes are used in a range of industrial applications such as tube-bending tools, deep-drawing tools, slide bars, moulds, etc. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.