Preparation and friction properties of SiC-Al2O3/2A50 co-continuous composites

This study investigated the preparation of SiC porous ceramics using an organic foam impregnation-high temperature sintering process. To address the poor wettability of SiC ceramics when used as the reinforcement phase, the surface of SiC porous ceramics was modified with Al2O3. SiC-Al2O3/2A50 co-continuous composites were then fabricated by infiltrating 2A50 aluminum alloy into the SiC-Al2O3 porous ceramics under pressure. Microstructural observations, along with friction, wear performance, and thermal stability test, demonstrated that Al2O3 surface modification significantly enhances the friction and wear performance as well as the thermal stability of the co-continuous composites. The prepared SiC-Al2O3/2A50 co-continuous composite exhibited excellent wear resistance, good thermal stability and stable bonding at heterogeneous interfaces. Compared to 38CrSi steel, the SiC-Al2O3/2A50 co-continuous composite not only offers the advantage of reduced weight but also shows a significantly lower wear rate of 9.3 x 10-5 mm3/N & sdot;min under a 50 N load. These findings suggest that the SiC-Al2O3/2A50 co-continuous composite has the potential to replace 38CrSi steel as a wear-resistant material.