Microscopic study on the effect of nano-clay-particles on wear behaviors of piston aluminum-silicon alloy under various forces and speeds.

Abstract

In the present article, a microscopic investigation was done on the effect of adding nano-clay-particles into the aluminum matrix on the wear behaviors of piston aluminum-silicon alloy under various forces and speeds. Then, the variation of the wear rate and the coefficient of friction (CoF) of the alloys was reported alongside the behavior of nano-reinforced composites. For this objective, the reciprocating wear tests were conducted under different conditions. Then, in order to evaluate the microstructural changes of the sample after the addition of the nano-clay-particles, optical and field-emission scanning electron microscopies (FESEM) were utilized. The obtained results demonstrated that the nano-reinforcement had an improvement in the wear behavior of the aluminum alloy. Furthermore, lower values of the CoF and wear rates were observed in the experiments, with lower normal forces or higher speeds.