Experimental Investigation on Improvement of Tribological and Mechanical Properties of Al-Si Cast Alloys

Abstract

Aluminium alloys have wide spread applications in various industries. Advent of new technological innovations made it imperative to search for new materials and alloys. Aluminum- Silicon alloys are one such material which has gained huge demand in various industries such as automobile industry. This is owing to its high wear resistance, low density, high strength to weight ratio and low thermal expansion coefficient. Rapid advancements in fields of various industries made the study of their tensile and wear behavior of paramount importance. In the present investigation, aluminium based alloy, with 12% Silicon was synthesized using stir casting method. Samples with four different compositions, viz., Al-12Si alloy with 0.04 % Ti, Al-12Si alloy with 0.0.5% Sr and Al-12Si alloy with 0.04% Ti and 0.0.4% strontium were synthesized used stir casting method. The effect of grain refiner, Al-5Ti-1B and the modifier, Strontium, on base aluminium alloy (Al-12Si) was studied. Tensile testing was done on four specimens with universal testing machine. The ultimate tensile strength was found to be highest for the AlSi alloy with 0.05% strontium (modifier). While elongation % was higher for the AlSi alloy which was grain refined using 0.05% Titanium. Rockwell hardness test was performed on four different specimens. Pin-on-Disc wear testing machine was used to evaluate the wear behaviour of test specimens. Wear resistance was high for alloy which was grain refined using Al-5Ti-1B master alloy and least for base alloy (Al-12Si).