Investigation on Tribological Characteristics of Al 7075 MMNC: Behavior of Micro- and Nano-Sized Composites

Abstract

This study investigates the mechanical properties and the wear behavior of Al 7075/Al2O3/SiCNP composites. The hybrid composites are manufactured using the stir casting technique. In this work, the Al 7075 alloy is reinforced with five different weight fractions of Al2O3 and a constant SiCNp, with an average particle size of 50 nm. The aluminum metal matrix composites are examined through surface morphology and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns to identify the material behavior. The material characteristics and the wear behavior of the metal composites are examined using a pin-on-disk test. Wear measurements are performed by varying loads, sliding speeds, and sliding distances. The results reveal that the composites reinforced with 4% of Al2O3 particulates exhibit superior properties. The wear rate and the coefficient of friction (COF) decrease with the increase in the reinforcement content.