Effects of thermal cycling treatment on load bearing and friction behavior of SiCp/A356 composites

Abstract

During bench tests and actual service, the Al-MMC (metal matrix composite) brake discs used in urban rail transit vehicles experienced problems such as poor wear resistance, compromising the brake discs' stability and safety. While braking, the brake disc material will bear the thermal cycling loads, leading to a certain degree of degradation in the material's performance. In this study, the degradation of the material's performance by the thermal cycling treatment was investigated. The results showed that all material performance degraded to some extent after thermal cycling treatment, with a strong correlation with cycling temperature. The degradation of material performance was caused by a combination of matrix mechanical damage and interface damage. At the same time, the tribological performance of the material also decreased to some extent. The main effect of thermal cycling treatment on tribological performance was its effect on material performance. The increase of hard particles in the abrasive debris resulting from the mechanical damage of the material and the aggravation of the dynamic changes in the TBL (third body layer) were the basic reasons for the surface scratches. The results further help to explore the application of Al-MMCs in high-temperature and long-term service.