Abrasive wear of Al2O3 particle reinforced 2024 aluminium alloy composites fabricated by vortex method

The wear behaviour of varying size and weight fraction of particles up to 30 wt% Al2O3 particles reinforced 2024 Aluminium alloy Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) fabricated by a vortex method was investigated in a pin on disc abrasion test apparatus against different SiC abrasives at room conditions. Wear tests performed under the load of 2 N against SiC abrasive papers of 20 (600 grit), 46 (320 grit) and 60 μm (240 grit). The effects of sliding distance, Al2O3 particle content and size, and abrasive grit sizes on the abrasive wear properties of the composites have been evaluated. The main wear mechanisms were identified using a scanning electron microscope. The results showed that Al2O3 particles reinforcement improved the abrasion resistance against all the abrasives used, and the abrasive wear resistance decreased with an increase in the sliding distance and the abrasive grit size. The wear resistance of the composites was considerably bigger than that of the aluminium alloy and increased with increasing Al2O3 particles content and size.