Synergistic effect of hybrid reinforcement on magnesium-based composites for enriching mechanical and tribological characteristics

The exceptional mechanical, microstructural, and tribological characteristics of friction stir processed (FSP) hybrid and mono nanocomposite materials resulted in growing research interest. In the presented work, the base matrix of magnesium-based AZ31B alloy was reinforced with fly ash (FA) and nano-titanium carbide (n-TiC) particulates using FSP and resulting in both hybrid and mono composite surfaces. The microstructures and homogeneous distribution of reinforcing particulates of the synthesized composites were investigated with optical microscopy (OM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). In addition, for the synthesized nanocomposites, mechanical and tribological characteristics were investigated including using tensile and compression strength, micro/nano-hardness, and wear characteristics. The OM and FESEM data indicate that owing to the significant impact of the FSP process, grain refinement and the homogenous dispersion of the FA and n-TiC nanoparticles for both mono and hybrid composites were achieved. Overall, the new nano-hybrid composites have better mechanical properties due to improved interfacial bonding and homogeneous dispersion of hybridized n-TiC/FA reinforcements. The results indicate that the AZ31B/FA/TiC hybrid nanocomposite has better mechanical and tribological characteristics than the base alloy and the mono composite materials. More specifically, the grain size was reduced nearly 20 times, microhardness was 1.72 times higher, ultimate tensile strength was 2.42 times higher, compressive strength was 2.57 times higher, and wear rate was, about 80% higher when contrasted to the base alloy. Lastly, it is expected that this composite can offer a remarkable solution for crafting high-performance automotive parts.