Erosive-Corrosive Wear of Aluminium-Silicon Matrix (AA336) and SiCp/TiB2p Ceramic Composites

This paper mainly reports a comparative study on the Erosion-Corrosion of aluminium silicon alloy (AA336) and its composites as AA336-7%SiC and AA336-7%TiB2 in Basic, acidic, marine atmosphere. Particulate Microstructure shows the hexagonal shape of TiB2 particles and irregular shape with edges for silicon carbide particles. Erosion-corrosion of aluminium alloy composites were performed at different erodent concentrations (40,60,80 weight percentage) and at a speed of 1000,1500 revolution/minute. It is marked by the study that composites show significantly improved wear resistance (less material loss) than alloy at all speeds and all concentrations except in basic medium. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) reveals Al-Si interface sites are the preferential site for corrosion attack. Addition of reinforcement particles reduces the metallic area for erodent attack hence composites shows less material loss than the alloy. Among composites Titanium diboride reinforced composite shows improve wear resistance irrespective of speed, slurry concentration and slurry medium. Erosion-corrosion found prominent mode of weight (wt) loss at 1000 rpm and at 1500 rpm abrasion-corrosion found a prominent mode of material removal. In case of basic medium material removal at 1000 rpm is more than 1500 rpm irrespective of material. Material removal in basic media is maximum and minimum in the marine medium.