Effect of heat-treatment on friction and wear properties of Al 2O 3 and carbon short fibres reinforced AlSi12CuMgNi hybrid composites

Abstract

Al 2O 3 and carbon short fibres reinforced AlSi12CuMgNi metal matrix hybrid composites were fabricated by preform squeeze-infiltrated route. The fibres distribution and microstructure of matrix in the hybrid composites were observed. Moreover, the effect of heat-treatment on the dry sliding friction and wear properties of the hybrid composites were determined by statistics method under the condition of 196 N load and velocity of 0.837 m/s. Alumina and carbon short fibres distributed hybrid uniformly in the hybrid composites. Metal matrix microstructure was fined after heat-treatment. The results of statistics analysis showed that four samples of wear rate and friction coefficient of both as-cast and as heat-treated hybrid composites accorded with normal distribution. The statistics average values of wear rate and friction coefficient of as-cast hybrid composites were larger than those of as heat-treated hybrid composites. Heat-treatment was beneficial to the improvement of dry sliding friction and wear property of the composites. Dominant wear mechanism of as-cast hybrid composites was ploughing grooves and delamination. Heat-treatment contributed to improving the resistivity of delamination of composites. Dominant wear mechanism of as heat-treated hybrid composites was slightly ploughing.