Microstructure and Tribological Properties of Nanostructured Aluminum Reinforced with SiC Nanoparticles Fabricated by Powder Metallurgy Route

• Published in: Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals Vol. 71; no. 3; pp. 745 - 752
• Main Authors: Akbarpour, M. R., Alipour, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Springer India 01.03.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abrasion; Aluminum; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coefficient of friction; Corrosion and Coatings; Deformation mechanisms; Deformation wear; Frictional wear; Hot pressing; Materials Science; Mechanical milling; Metallic Materials; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure; Plastic deformation; Powder metallurgy; Sliding friction; Technical Paper; Tribology; Wear mechanisms; Mechanical properties; Composites; Mechanical alloying/milling; Scanning electron microscopy (SEM); Wear
• ISSN: 0972-2815; 0975-1645
• DOI: 10.1007/s12666-017-1207-6

Nanostructured Al and Al/SiC nanocomposites were prepared by high energy mechanical milling and hot pressing process. The tribological behavior of the produced materials was studied by a ball-on-flat tribometer. Dry sliding wear tests indicated that the nanocomposite with 4 vol% SiC exhibits a lower wear loss and a higher coefficient of friction compared to nanostructured Al. This was due to reduction of the extent of wear deformation in the subsurface region and difficult plastic deformation of debris, resulting from grain size refinement and nanoparticle strengthening synergistic effects, during sliding. Investigation of worn surfaces showed that delamination and abrasion are dominant wear mechanisms for the nanostructured Al and the Al/SiC nanocomposite.