High stress abrasive wear behaviour of aluminium alloy–granite particle composite

Abstract

The abrasive wear characteristics of aluminium alloy (LM6) and its cast composites dispersed with natural minerals, namely, granite particles, (10 wt.%) have been reported in this study. High stress abrasive wear tests using paper-mounted silicon carbide abrasive particles of various grit sizes were carried out at various applied loads. It was observed that the wear response of the specimens is influenced by the applied load, sliding distance and size of the abrasive particle. Results indicated that the addition of the dispersoid led to an improvement in the abrasion rate of the matrix alloy when abraded against fine abrasive particles over the entire range of applied loads and sliding distances. Similar trends were also observed with coarser abrasives at lower loads. However, at higher load and with coarser abrasive particles, the trend got reversed. Further, the wear rate reduced with sliding distance while the load affected the wear behaviour of the specimens in the opposite manner. These effects were more prominent under severe wear conditions of abrasion (i.e., higher load or coarser abrasive). The specimens characteristics have been explained on the basis of experimental observations.