Dry sliding wear characterization of squeeze cast LM13/FeCu composite using response surface methodology

Dry sliding wear is one of the predominant factors to be considered while selecting material for automotive and aerospace applications. Researchers have been exploring novel aluminium matrix composites (AMC), which offer minimum wear rate for various tribological applications. In this present work, an attempt has been made to reinforce LM13 aluminium alloy with copper coated steel fibers (10wt.%) using squeeze casting process and to perform dry sliding wear test using pin-on-disc tribometer. Microstructure of cast samples was examined using image analysis system to investigate the dispersion of reinforcement in matrix. Dry sliding wear test was performed by considering factors such as load (10-50 N), sliding velocity (1-5 m∙s-1) and sliding distance (500-2,500 m). Wear test was performed according to the experimental design at room temperature. Three factors and five levels central composite design were used to design the experiments using response surface methodology. Based on the results of the experiments, a regression model was developed to predict the wear rate of composites and checked for its adequacy using significance tests, analyses of variance and confirmation tests. Worn surface of samples was investigated using field emission scanning electron microscope and reported with its mechanisms. Microstructure of cast samples revealed uniform dispersion of reinforcement throughout the matrix. Response surface plots revealed that wear rate of composites increases with increasing load up to 50 N with the velocity 1-5 m∙s-1 and a sliding distance up to 2,500 m. However wear rate decreasesd with increasing velocity at lower loads (up to 20 N) and increased after reaching transition velocity of 2 m∙s-1. Dry sliding wear process parameters were optimised for obtaining minimum wear rate and they were found to be a load of 18.46 N, velocity of 4.11 m∙s-1, sliding distance of 923 m. Worn surface of samples revealed a mild wear at lower loads (up to 30 N), and severe wear was observed at high loads (40-50 N) due to higher level of deformation on the surface.