Study on The Tribology of Aluminium Metal Matrix Hybrid Composites Reinforced with SiC and Al2O3

Abstract

Aluminium alloy are used in many applications including Aerospace, Automobile and commercial industries due to its good strength to weight ratio and low cost. Aluminium has good mechanical properties, low thermal coefficient of expansion and low density. At present aluminium composites are used due to improved mechanical and wear properties over aluminium alloy. It is essential to provide a lubrication to reduce friction and wear. However,sometime it is too difficult to access a lubricant around the wear parts surfaces externally. The present study is focused on the improvement of coefficient of friction and wear rate of aluminium composites reinforced with Al2O3 and SiC. The composites were fabricated by stir casting process. Reinforcement is used in different weight percentage. Influence of hybridization on the improvement of hardness and microstructure has been also investigated in this study. XRD & EDS has done to investigate the composition and phase analysis of the fabricated composites. SEM has been done to evaluate the distribution of particles and defects. Dry tribology of the fabricated composites has been investigated to examine the effect of increased the weight percentage of reinforcement in matrix, effect of load and sliding distance on wear rate and friction for the composites sliding against EN31 disk.