Optimizing the Dry Sliding Wear Behavior of Copper Hybrid Nano Composites Reinforced with MWCNTs and Nano B4C Using Full Factorial Design

Abstract

In the present study, full factorial design has been used to optimize the wear test conditions of the copper-multi-walled carbon nanotubes and nano boron carbide reinforced composites prepared through entrenched cold-press sintering method of powder metallurgy. The factors like boron carbide particle, applied load and sliding distance of the wear test have been selected as independent variables. This technique has been designed to achieve momentous effects on two responses, namely specific wear resistance and coefficient of friction and 60 experimental runs have been carried out with one replication. To study the micro structural morphology, particle size, worn surface and wear debris of the prepared copper hybrid nanocomposite, scanning electron microscopy, Atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis were used for characterization. The ANOVA results were used to validate the developed design and it shows that the applied load and nano boron carbide addition to the matrix material significantly plays an important role in the wear resistance and coefficient of friction of the hybrid composites respectively. A linear regression equation is developed to relate the responses and the operating factors. The optimal conditions for the wear test were: nano boron carbide particles of 2 wt%, load of 5 N and sliding distance of 500 m for both responses.