Wear Characteristics of Al-Based Composite Material

Abstract

This research studies the wear characteristic of Al- based composite material. Stir casting technique was used to fabricate composite samples of Al-6061 and Al-6061 reinforced with different percentage ages (5%, 10%, 15% weight) of silicon carbide particles (SiC). Abrasive wear behavior of composite was studied by dry sliding pin on disc method. Different parameters were taken into consideration including, applied load, sliding speed, and weight percentage age of silicon carbide particles. Wear test-sliding distance ranged from 1044 m to 3123 m measured over different times (10 min, 20 min, and 30 min). Normal loads range from 10 N to 30 N, at sliding speeds of 1.74m/s. Specific wear rate was calculated considering weight loss calculation which was measured by using digital electronic balance (up to 0.01 g accuracy). The results show that by increasing the sliding speed and the applied load we get the highest wear rate in the aluminum alloy, while with the Al/SiC composite, the wear rate decreases with the increase of SiC percentage age. It was found that hardness increases simultaneously when SiC percentage age increases. The highest hardness in (AL- 15 wt. % SiC) was recorded.