Reciprocating wear behavior of multi-directionally forged and aged Al-Cu-Li alloy

Abstract

Al-Cu-Li alloys have drawn attention because of their decreased density, which is a result of the growing need for lightweight material systems in aerospace and aircraft applications. The alloy was subjected to multi-directional forging (MDF) and post-MDF artificial aging. Reciprocating sliding wear tests were conducted to investigate the effects of these processes on wear properties under different load conditions. After MDF, a decrease in wear resistance was noticed, on the other hand, 12 pass MDF treated samples showed improved wear resistance upon aging treatment. Wear scars and counter ball surfaces were examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) to understand the wear mechanism and wear mode. The findings demonstrated that, at lower loads, adhesion and abrasion were the main wear processes; at greater loads, delamination, adhesion, and abrasion were clearly visible. The study revealed that the MDF and subsequent aging have a substantial effect on the wear behavior of Al-Cu-Li alloy and is an effective thermomechanical processing route to enhance wear resistance.