Improved wear and friction properties by self-formed SiC layers in Mg/SiC composites

Abstract

The tribological properties are evaluated using several types of Mg/SiC composites, which SiC powders with particle sizes of 20∼30 nm, 130 nm and 2∼3 μm are dispersed in up to 25 % by volume fraction. Sound and bulky Mg/SiC composites are successfully fabricated by powder-metallurgy combining extrusion process. The initial SiC particle size and their dispersed volume fraction affect the wear and friction properties. The specific wear rate increases with increasing contents of SiC particles, regardless of the initial SiC particle size. However, when the SiC particle size is larger than a certain size and its content is greater than 10 %, the friction coefficient suddenly decreases. In the surface observations after friction tested specimens, the element map shows the Mg ratio relative to Si ratio (= SiC) increases with reducing friction coefficient. This indicates that good wear resistance is due to the formation of self-formed SiC layers during the friction process.