Dry sliding wear characteristics of Al-7Si-0.3Mg alloy with minor additions of magnesium at high temperature

ABSTRACT

In this paper, effect of minor additions of magnesium content in the form of master alloys on the high-temperature dry sliding wear behaviour for A356 alloy has been reported. Alloy composition, normal pressures and sliding distances on A356 alloy at constant temperature of 300°C was studied. The cast alloys and worn surfaces were characterized by SEM/EDX microanalysis. The results indicate that the wear rate of A356 alloy increases with an increase in normal pressures and sliding distances in all the cases and decreases when 0.7% Mg is added to A356 alloy. The decrease in wear rate after the addition of Mg is mainly due to changes in microstructure which lead to improvement in mechanical properties. Further, worn surface study indicates that the formation of iron-rich oxide layer between the mating surfaces during sliding improves sliding wear performance.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• High-temperature wear
• A356 alloy
• microstructure
• worn surface
• Al–Si alloys
• wear rate
• frictional force
• Al-20%g

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Ministry of Defense, Naval Research Board (NRB), Directorate of Naval R & D, DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi, INDIA for the financial support for the present work. The authors also wish to thank Prof. M. Chakraborty, Former Director, IIT Bhuvaneshwar and Prof. B. S. Murty, Director, IIT, Hyderabad for their constant help and support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Defense, Naval Research Board (NRB), Directorate of Naval R & D, DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi, INDIA under Grant [number: DNRD/05/4003/NRB/77, dated 28-09-2006].