Effect of T6 Heat Treatment on Dry Sliding Frictional Wear Characteristics of Al-20Si-5Cu Alloy

Abstract

The effect of T6 heat treatment on dry sliding friction and wear characteristics of Al-20Si-5Cu under a fixed sliding speed of 200r/min and sliding time of 30mins was illustrated in this paper. The result reveals that T6 heat treatment can improve morphology of primary Si and Al2Cu particles, enhance the hardness of the matrix. Wear rate increased with increasing of applied load. T6 heat treated samples have high wear resistance which is related to the improvement of microstructure, particularly with their increased hardness of matrix. But friction coefficient varies with heat treatment processes and has no sensitivity to applied loads, which fluctuates in a small range, so the friction coefficient can be considered to be stable. The wear mechanisms of T6 heat treated samples are also changed with increasing of applied load, from oxidative wear to fatigue wear.