Investigation of copper alumina nanocomposites for wear and corrosion behaviour through experimental studies

Abstract

Composites are manmade materials which are the combination of two or more elements whose properties cannot be achieved when the materials are separate Specifically Metal Matrix Composites MMCs are industry oriented materials of recent times due to their superior and tailorable properties Current researches are concentrated towards Nano Metal Matrix Composites NMMCs due to their distinctive properties like high strength low density better tribological and corrosion properties Applications in marine and other salt water environments demand the usage of inherently corrosion resistant materials like aluminium copper etc Current challenge is to develop composites that possess better corrosion and wear resistance for use in marine applications like ship hull sheathing Generally soft copper Cu matrix is reinforced with hard oxides carbides and borides for better mechanical and tribological properties Hard ceramic particles such as aluminium oxide alumina can be used as reinforcements since with these composites render better mechanical and thermal stability coupled with corrosion resistance As alumina is characterized by high hardness light weight and appreciable resistance towards wear its combination with copper was taken for study in terms of both corrosion and wear resistance newline