# US 2018/0021850 A1 · Controlled-dispersion of solid lubricious particles in a metallic alloy matrix

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- Number: US 2018/0021850 A1
- Document ID: US20180021850A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/652,980
- Filed: 2017-07-18
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22
- Assignees: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Roxana E.L. Ruxanda; Marc J. Scancarello; Christopher S. Rice; Kenneth P. Young
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021850A1

## CPC

- B22D 17/04: Plunger machines
- F16C 17/26: Systems consisting of a plurality of sliding-contact bearings
- F16C 33/1095: {with solids as lubricant, e.g. dry coatings, powder}
- F16C 33/121: {Use of special materials}
- F16C 33/128: {Porous bearings, e.g. bushes of sintered alloy}
- F16C 33/14: Special methods of manufacture; Running-in
- F16C 2202/50: Lubricating properties
- F16C 2202/52: Graphite
- F16C 2204/12: with tin as the next major constituent
- F16C 2204/20: Alloys based on aluminium
- F16C 2204/60: Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys
- F16C 2220/02: by casting
- F16C 2220/08: by compression-moulding
- F16C 2240/48: Particle sizes
- F16C 2362/52: Compressors of refrigerators, e.g. air-conditioners
- B22D: CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES (shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; metallurgical processing, selection of substances to be added to metal C21, C22)
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS

## Abstract

Methods for making a tribological bearing wear surface for a compressor component are provided. Such methods involve semi-solid metal casting, where an admixture of solid lubricant particles and a metal alloy material is heated to melt the metal alloy material, while the lubricant particles remain in a solid phase. The alloy material and solid lubricant have substantially different densities. The metal alloy material may be a copper, iron, or aluminum alloy, for example. The method further comprises mixing and cooling the admixture to form a semi-solid slurry admixture. Next, the method comprises introducing the semi-solid slurry admixture into a die. Finally, the semi-solid slurry admixture in the die is solidified to form a solid component having the solid lubricant particles homogenously distributed within a metal alloy material matrix, thus forming a metal matrix composite. Compressor components made from such methods are also provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of making a bearing wear surface for a compressor component, the method comprising:
heating an admixture of a plurality of solid lubricant particles and a metal alloy material to melt the metal alloy material, wherein the molten metal alloy material has a first density and the plurality of solid lubricant particles have a second density, wherein a difference between the first density and the second density is greater than or equal to about 25% and the metal alloy material is selected from the group consisting of: a copper alloy, an iron alloy, and an aluminum alloy;
mixing and cooling the admixture, so that the molten metal alloy material cools to form a semi-solid slurry admixture;
introducing the semi-solid slurry admixture into a die; and
solidifying the semi-solid slurry admixture to form a solid component having the plurality of the solid lubricant particles distributed within a matrix of the metal alloy material having less than or equal to about 10% by volume porosity, wherein the plurality of the solid lubricant particles is present along at least one bearing wear surface of the solid component.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the solid lubricant particles is homogeneously distributed along the at least one bearing wear surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of solid lubricant particles comprises nickel-coated graphite particles.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of solid lubricant particles has an average particle size distribution of greater than or equal to about 90 weight % of the solid lubricant particles passing on a −170 mesh and being retained on a +325 mesh.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of solid lubricant particles is present in the semi-solid slurry admixture at greater than or equal to about 10 volume % to less than or equal to about 30 volume % of a total volume of the semi-solid slurry admixture.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the semi-solid slurry admixture after the mixing and cooling has greater than or equal to about 30 volume % solids to less than or equal to about 65 volume % solids.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the metal alloy material is a copper alloy material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the copper alloy material comprises:
tin present at greater than or equal to 0 weight % to less than or equal to about 10 weight % of the copper alloy material;
bismuth at greater than or equal to 0 weight % to less than or equal to about 6 weight % of the copper alloy material;
nickel at greater than or equal to 0 weight % to less than or equal to about 5 weight % of the copper alloy material;
aluminum at greater than or equal to 0 weight % to less than or equal to about 15 weight % of the copper alloy material;
iron greater than or equal to 0 weight % to less than or equal to about 10 weight % of the copper alloy material;
zinc greater than or equal to 0 weight % to less than or equal to about 20 weight % of the copper alloy material;
a remainder of other minor elements at less than or equal to about weight 2% of the copper alloy material; and
a balance of the copper alloy material being copper.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the heating, first dividing a solid ingot of the metal alloy material into a plurality of pieces and preheating the plurality of pieces to form a semi-solid metal alloy material and introducing the plurality of solid lubricant particles into the semi-solid metal alloy material to form the admixture.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of solid lubricant particles comprises nickel-coated graphite particles and before the heating of the admixture, the method further comprises preheating the nickel-coated graphite particles to a temperature of less than or equal to about 400° C. followed by introducing the plurality of solid lubricant particles into a semi-solid metal alloy material to form the admixture.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the metal alloy material is a copper alloy material and the method further comprises before the heating the admixture:
preheating the metal alloy material to a temperature of greater than or equal to about 970° C. to less than or equal to about 990° C. for greater than or equal to about 30 seconds to less than or equal to about 3 minutes; and introducing the plurality of solid lubricant particles into the preheated metal alloy material to form the admixture.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the metal alloy material is a copper alloy material and the admixture is heated to a temperature of greater than or equal to about 1,050° C. to less than or equal to about 1,100° C. for greater than or equal to about 30 seconds to less than or equal to about 3 minutes so that the copper alloy is in a liquid state.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the metal alloy material is a copper alloy material and the mixing and cooling is conducted by removing the admixture from a heat source and mixing the admixture at a speed of greater than or equal to about 200 revolutions per minute (rpm) to less than or equal to about 300 rpm for greater than or equal to about 30 seconds to less than or equal to about 90 seconds so that semi-solid admixture is cooled to a temperature of greater than or equal to about 940° C. to less than or equal to about 970° C.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the introducing the semi-solid slurry admixture into the die further comprises injecting the semi-solid slurry admixture with a moving ram into a die defining a cavity with a predetermined shape.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein a final nominal pressure during the injecting is greater than or equal to about 14,500 psi (about 100 MPa) to less than or equal to about 15,500 (about 107 MPa).

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the cavity of the die is preheated before the injecting to a temperature of greater than or equal to about 150° C. to less than or equal to about 250° C.

### Claim 17

A compressor component comprising:
at least one bearing wear surface comprising a plurality of solid lubricant particles homogeneously distributed within a matrix of a metal alloy material, wherein the plurality of solid lubricant particles is present along the at least one bearing wear surface at greater than or equal to about 10 volume % to less than or equal to about 30 volume % and the at least one bearing wear surface has less than or equal to about 10% by volume porosity, the metal alloy material comprises a copper alloy and the compressor component is substantially lead-free.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The compressor component of claim 17, wherein the metal alloy material has a first density and the plurality of solid lubricant particles has a second density, wherein a difference between the first density and the second density is greater than or equal to about 25%.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The compressor component of claim 17, wherein the compressor component is selected from the group consisting of: a cylindrical sleeve bearing, a face seal, a drive flat on a crankshaft, a main journal bearing, a lower journal bearing, a slider block, a drive flat on a bushing, an outer diameter of a bushing, an Oldham coupling, an upper seal plate of a seal assembly, a thrust plate, an orbiting scroll, a non-orbiting scroll, a thrust bearing surface on a main bearing housing, a lower bearing plate assembly, an Oldham sliding area on a main bearing housing, a muffler plate or partition, bellows shaft seal, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The compressor component of claim 17, wherein plurality of solid lubricant particles comprises nickel-coated graphite particles.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The compressor component of claim 17, wherein the plurality of solid lubricant particles is selected from the group consisting of: nickel-coated graphite particles, copper-coated graphite particles, zinc-coated graphite particles, uncoated graphite particles, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The compressor component of claim 17, wherein the plurality of solid lubricant particles is selected from the group consisting of: molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), tungsten disulfide (WS2), zinc sulfide (ZnS), hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), carbon fibers, bismuth (Bi), and combinations thereof.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The compressor component of claim 17, wherein the plurality of solid lubricant particles is homogeneously distributed throughout the entire compressor component.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The compressor component of claim 17, wherein the plurality of solid lubricant particles is homogeneously distributed throughout the at least one bearing wear surface, but not throughout the entire compressor component.