Wear Behaviour of Al-SiCp Metal Matrix Composites and Optimization Using Taguchi Method and Grey Relational Analysis
- 1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
- 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
- 3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
Abstract
Aluminium metal matrix composite is a relatively new material that has proved its position in automobile, aerospace and other engineering design applications due to its wear resistance and substantial hardness. Need for improved tribological performance has led to the design and selection of newer variants of the composite. The present investigation deals with the study of wear behaviour of Al-SiCp metal matrix composite for varying reinforcement content, applied load, sliding speed and time. Aluminium metal matrix composites reinforced with SiC particles are prepared by liquid metallurgy route using LM6 aluminium alloy and silicon carbide particles (size ~ 37 μm) by varying the weight fraction of SiC in the range of 5% - 10%. The material is synthesized by stir casting process in an electric melting furnace. The materials are then subjected to wear testing in a multitribotester using block on roller configuration. A plan of experiments based on L27 Taguchi orthogonal array is used to acquire the wear data in a controlled way. An analysis of variance is employed to investigate the influence of four controlling parameters, viz., SiC content, normal load, sliding speed and sliding time on dry sliding wear of the composites. It is observed that SiC content, sliding speed and normal load significantly affect the dry sliding wear. The optimal combination of the four controlling parameters is also obtained for minimum wear. The microstructure study of worn surfaces indicates nature of wear to be mostly abrasive.
- H. Ahlatci, E. Candan and H. Cimenoglu, “Abrasive Wear Behaviour and Mechanical Properties of Al-Si/SiC Composites,” Wear, Vol. 257, No. 5-6, 2004, pp. 625-632. doi:10.1016/j.wear.2004.03.006
- K. S. Al-Rubaie, H. Goldenstein and J. D. Biasoli de Mello, “Three-Body Abrasion of Al-SiC Composites,” Wear, Vol. 225-229, 1999, pp. 163-173. doi:10.1016/S0043-1648(99)00009-5
- K. S. Al-Rubaie, H. N. Yoshimura and J. D. Biasoli de Mello, “Two-Body Abrasive Wear of Al-SiC Compos- ites,” Wear, Vol. 233-235, 1999, pp. 444-454. doi:10.1016/S0043-1648(99)00185-4
- M. Bai, Q. Xue, X. Wang, Y. Wan and W. Liu, “Wear Mechanism of SiC Whisker-Reinforced 2024 Aluminum Alloy Matrix Composites in Oscillating Sliding Wear Tests,” Wear, Vol. 185, No. 1-2, 1995, pp. 197-202. doi:10.1016/0043-1648(95)06617-9
- M. Bai, Q. Xue and Q. Ge, “Wear of 2024 Al-Mo-SiC Composites under Lubrication,” Wear, Vol. 195, No. 1-2, 1996, pp. 100-105. doi:10.1016/0043-1648(95)06808-2
- M. Bai and Q. Xue, “Investigation of Wear Mechanism of SiC Particulate-Reinforced Al-20Si-3Cu-1Mg Aluminium Matrix Composites under Dry Sliding and Water Lubri- cation,” Tribology International, Vol. 30, No. 4, 1997, pp. 261-269. doi:10.1016/S0301-679X(96)00047-3
- H. Chen and A. T. Alpas, “Wear of Aluminium Matrix Composites Reinforced with Nickel-Coated Carbon Fi- bers,” Wear, Vol. 192, No. 1-2, 1996, pp. 186-198. doi:10.1016/0043-1648(95)06795-7
- R. Chen, A. Iwabuchi, T. Shimizu, H. S. Shin and H. Mifune, “The Sliding Wear Resistance Behavior of NiAI and SiC Particles Reinforced Aluminum Alloy Matrix Composites”, Wear, Vol. 213, No. 1-2, 1997, pp. 175-184. doi:10.1016/S0043-1648(97)00123-3
- R. Chen, A. Iwabuchi and T. Shimizu, “The Effect of a T6 Heat Treatment on the Fretting Wear of a SiC Parti- cle-Reinforced A356 Aluminium Alloy Matrix Composite”, Wear, Vol. 238, No. 2, 2000, pp. 110-119. doi:10.1016/S0043-1648(99)00328-2
- S. K. Ghosh and P. Saha, “Crack and Wear Behaviour of SiC Particulate Reinforced Aluminium Based Metal Ma- trix Composite Fabricated by Direct Metal Laser Sintering Process,” Materials and Design, Vol. 32, No. 1, 2011, pp. 139-145. doi:10.1016/j.matdes.2010.06.020
- A. M. Hassan, A. Alrashdan, M. T. Hayajneh and A. T. Mayyas, “Wear Behaviour of Al-Mg-Cu-Based Compo- sites Containing SiC Particles,” Tribology International, Vol. 42, No. 8, 2009, pp. 1230-1238. doi:10.1016/j.triboint.2009.04.030