Abstract
The applications of aluminum and its alloys are still limited by low hardness and low wear resistance properties. Surface modifications, such anodizing and plasma electrolytic oxidation, represent a feasible way to overcome these drawbacks. In this study, discs of AA6082 were subjected to the so-called G.H.A. hard anodizing process leading to an anodized layer having a honeycomb-like structure. Samples having alumina layer thicknesses of 10, 50 and 100 μm were subjected to unidirectional dry sliding wear tests, using bearing steel and silicon nitride as counterbody materials. Surface and structure characterization of the samples were performed before and after the tribological tests, using a wide range of techniques; atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used before the wear tests. The wear scars were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. Results show that the different thickness of the anodized layer does not affect the pores dimensions but has an influence on the micrometric domains in which the pores are divided. These features coupled with the wear test conditions, show to have a strong influence on the wear behavior. The thinnest sample showed also the best performance against the ceramic counterbody.
Highlights
Aluminum and its alloys are widely used in a variety of industrial fields, owing to their low density, good thermal and electrical conductivity and high strength
The present paper investigated the wear resistance response of hard anodized aluminum, under unidirectional dry sliding conditions
Samples having alumina layer thicknesses of 10, 50 and 100 μm corresponding to the GHA10, GH50 and GHA100 names, obtained with the process reported in Reference [38], were subjected to wear tests in a pin-on-disk apparatus, using bearing steel (100Cr6)
Summary
Aluminum and its alloys are widely used in a variety of industrial fields, owing to their low density, good thermal and electrical conductivity and high strength. The aluminum alloys 6xxx series are of particular interest for both the aerospace and automotive industries, owing to the combination of intrinsic properties such as medium strength, formability, weldability and corrosion resistance, coupled with the low cost [1,2]. AA6082 is characterized by an excellent corrosion resistance and shows the highest strength in the 6xxx series [3,4]. These peculiar properties coupled with the high strength-to-weight ratio and specific stiffness, are the reasons behind the extensive application of this Al–Mg–Si alloy in automotive, aerospace and shipbuilding industries [5,6,7,8]
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