Bronze and Brass are copper alloys :-/
I wouldn't pick them, since when do they use bronze or brass in axle shafts? They aren't powderformed anyway, they are precipitation hardened to be formed. Powder forming is for dissimilar materials, eg graphite and copper or something. If he was talking about alloys you'd say copper graphite, because graphite is self lubricating.
Why can't you just say aluminium or medium carbon steel for corrosion and abraison resistence, it's much safer than getting into copper alloys such as bronze and brass.