Fabrication of light-weight Al LM13/TiS₂ metal matrix composites and investigation of its wear characteristics

ABSTRACT

This paper aims to study the dry sliding wear characteristics of LM13 aluminum alloy matrix containing titanium disulfide (TiS₂) as the reinforcement (10 wt%, average size 37 µm) fabricated through liquid metallurgy route. Microstructural examination and Vickers hardness test were performed on the sample to investigate uniform distribution of the reinforcement particles in the composite. Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis and X-Ray Diffraction techniques were used to characterize the composite. The hardness test gave a result of 105.94 HV. The dry sliding wear experiments were designed by a five-level central composite design developed using response surface methodology. The factors considered were load, sliding distance, and velocity which were varied in the range of 10–30 N, 500–1500 m, and 1–3 m/s, respectively. The experiments were then performed at room temperature using a pin-on-disc tribometer for 20 combinations. The generated regression equation showed that the developed model established a proper relation between the process variables and the response. Load being the most influential factor showed increasing trends of wear rate in the surface plots against both velocity and sliding distance. The wear rate exhibited a nonlinear trend in the surface plots against sliding distance and velocity. Scanning electron microscopy results showed greater wear at higher loads due to higher surface damage. Thus, the fabricated Al/TiS₂ composite with the optimum wear process parameters can be well utilized for application where wear becomes a major consideration.

KEYWORDS:

• Aluminum
• hardness
• response surface methodology
• scanning electron microscope
• wear