Study of Dry Sliding Wear Characteristics of Corundum Reinforced Aluminium Alloy Matrix Composites

Abstract

The present work is focused on studies undertaken to improve the tribological properties of different corundum reinforced aluminium matrix composites (AMCs). The subject matter resulting out of the present study has been arranged in six chapters in this Ph.D. thesis. The outline of the chapters is as follows: and#10146; Chapter 1: The chapter introduces the basic terms involved in the present research viz. composites, the classifications of composites, etc. This chapter discusses the need and benefit of AMCs and also presents the origin of the present research work. and#10146; Chapter 2: This chapter presents a detailed review of literature on the processing and tribological properties of AMCs. The literature is divided into two main sections viz. wear behaviour of AMCs at room temperature and wear behaviour of AMCs at elevated temperatures. Further, in these two sections the literature is further classified into three groups viz. synthetic mineral reinforcement, natural mineral reinforcement, and hybrid mineral reinforcement. The chapter also brings forth the summary of the existing literature and also the main gaps in the existing literature in their field of work. and#10146; Chapter 3: The chapter presents a brief description of materials used in the present study. The chapter also brings forth the methodology adopted for the processing of the composites. the chapter also discusses the equipment used for fabrication of AMCs, characterization of the processed AMCs (XRD, optical microscopy, SEM, EDS), and different mechanical tests (microhardness and Brinell hardness) done for the processed AMCs to fulfil the basic objectives mentioned in this chapter. and#10146; Chapter 4: The chapter presents the results of wear analysis of single range particles (SRP) at room temperature and at elevated temperatures. The chapter discusses the microstructural investigation of base material and SRP reinforced corundum AMCs. The microstructural analysis revealed a uniform particle distribution with good structural refinement.