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Abstract
A novel aluminium–zirconia composite, with improved wear resistance, has been produced. The method consists of compacting aluminium powder mixed with cellulose fibres, which are then eliminated by a heat treatment. The compacted piece was immersed several times in a colloidal (i.e. nanosized) zirconia solution until a constant weight was reached. The solution penetrated and infiltrated the preform. Then, the aluminium matrix presented zirconia tetragonal and monoclinic phases. Wear test was carried out in a pin-on-disc machine. By measuring the weight loss it was shown that the composite had significant improvement in wear resistance, as compared to pure aluminium.
Acknowledgements
The authors are indebted to Margarita Reyes (Instituto de Geologia, UNAM) for her technical help. This work was supported through a Promep program (folio UGTO-EXB-51).