Tribological Behavior of Aluminum Micro-and Nano-Composites

Aluminum metal matrix composites are a class of advanced materials which have been developed for weight-critical applications in the aerospace and automotive industries. In the present investigation, tribological performance of aluminum micro- (100 to 200 μm particle size) and nano- (47 nm particle size) composites was studied using a three pin-on-disk apparatus under dry sliding conditions. As a basis for comparison, the tribological performance of aluminum alloys was also studied. The pins made of these materials were then slid against a steel disk under ambient conditions. Tests were conducted at a sliding velocity of 1.58 m/s for a normal load of 30 N. The worn surfaces of the pins and weardebris were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope. Based on the experiments, it was observed that the nano-composites significantly outperformed all of the other materials with respect to friction levels. It was also discovered that the nano-composites exhibited the best wear performance among the composites...