TRIBOLOGICAL BEHAVIOUR OF Al2014-Al2O3 PARTICLE-REINFORCED COMPOSITES PRODUCED BY POWDER METALLURGY METHOD

Al2014 alloy and its Al2O3 particle-reinforced composites (MMCs) were produced by powder metallurgy (PM) method and the tribological behaviour of aluminum alloy composite was investigated in a pin-on-disc type of configuration against hardened steel disc under different sliding loads. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) investigation showed a distribution of the Al2O3 particles within the Al2014 alloy matrix although some porosity was found in the alloy matrix. The experimental results exhibited that MMCs exhibited a low wear rate compared to unreinforced matrix since the hardness of matrix increased with introduction of particles. Furthermore, the wear rate increased with increasing the load and decreased with increasing the particle sizes for composites. Moreover, SEM examination of the worn surfaces showed that adhesion, abrasion and cracking were dominant for the alloy matrix, but a shallow abrasive grooving; fatigue cracking and multiple cracks originated from the voids formation in the microstructure was operative under high loads for MMCs.