Influence of ZrO2 Particles on the Tribological Properties of AlMg5 Alloy

Abstract

Aluminum based metal matrix composites are devoting more interest towards multiple applications due to their good thermal and mechanical properties. At this study, composites of AlMg5/ZrO2 with multiple gradients of ZrO2, were manufactured using stir casting technique. Microstructure, hardness and tribological properties of the composite were investigated. Pin-on-disk technique was used under wet conditions (3.5 wt. % NaCl solution) at different sliding speeds (varied from 0.125 to 0.5 ms -1 ) and applied loads (varied from 5 to 20N). Microstructure and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis show that the composites AlMg5/ZrO2 were successfully manufactured via stir casting with a uniform distribution of ZrO2 particles. The results revealed that the hardness and wear resistance of the investigated alloy significantly increased by incorporating ZrO2 up to 10 wt.%, beyond this value the hardness and wear resistance diminished but still higher than the base alloy. Further, the outcomes showed that the dominant wear mechanism in AlMg5 alloy and its composite was the abrasive wear.

Preparation of insoluble zirconate from Egyptian zircon via alkali fusion process to enhancement Al alloy performance

“…This action can be due to decreasing the contact surface area of alloy where the added particles act as a load carrier and protect the surface from frictional forces. Also, the weight loss decreases due to the lubricating behavior of the emerging oxide layer [21].…”

“…It is a heavy mineral with excellent properties like; high hardness, high melting point, high chemical stability. This allows zircon to be utilized in important applications including; ceramics, refractory industries, foundry, abrasives, TV glass, electronics, pigments, and catalysts [1][2][3][4]. In Egypt, widespread placer deposits of black sand are intermittently distributed along the northern coast.…”

“…Also, mechanochemical treatment can be used [1,[13][14][15][16]]. Among all methods, alkali fusion of zircon presents good versatility, simplicity and effectiveness [4,15,17].…”

Evaluating comparative wear behaviour of Al-15%Si based alloy/composites reinforced with zinc and zirconium oxide

“…This was attributable to the improvement in reinforcement and matrix bonding with the reduction in particle size, and the worn surface corroborated the adhesive wear mechanism. Rashed et al [32] studied the effect of ZrO 2 particles on the tribological properties of an Al-Mg 5 composite fabricated using the stir casting technique. The results demonstrated that adding ZrO 2 up to 10% increased the hardness and wear resistance of the composite.…”