Investigation on the Tribological Behavior of Aluminum Matrix Composite Reinforced With Particulate Titanium Aluminide Available to Purchase

The present work aims to examine the tribological performance of AA6061 alloy-based surface composite with titanium aluminide particulate reinforcement. Friction stir processing, a well-known surface severe plastic deformation technique, was employed to fabricate the composite via a two-pass approach using distinct pin profiles—taper-threaded in the first pass and square in the second. In accordance with ASTM G99, a pin-on-disc wear test was used to assess the samples' wear behavior under both normal and abrasive wear conditions. The microstructural evolution and post-wear analysis were examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy along with electron backscattered diffraction. The results revealed uniformly distributed reinforcement particles within the friction stir processed (FSPed) zone and demonstrated a reduction in grain size of about 88.23% in the composite compared to the base material. The wear-rate of the composite was lowered by 71% from the base material in the abrasive condition and 63% in the normal wear condition. The hardness analysis revealed a 33% increase in the composite material compared to the unreinforced FSPed sample, highlighting the beneficial impact of the reinforcement on the material's mechanical strength. The composite's yield strength increased from 156 MPa in the base material to 187 MPa in the composite, with only a minimal reduction in ductility (27% for the composite versus 28% for the base). The factors contributing to the improved mechanical and tribological properties, such as uniform particle distribution and grain refinement, are explored in detail through microstructural analysis and post-wear micrographs.