Mechanical and wear behaviour of AZ91D magnesium matrix hybrid composite reinforced with boron carbide and graphite

In this experimental study, magnesium (AZ91D) based boron carbide (B4C) and graphite (Gr) particle reinforced hybrid composite materials were manufactured by stir casting. The tribological and mechanical properties of these composite materials were investigated. The results of the tests revealed that the graphite reinforced hybrid composites exhibited a lower wear loss compared to the unreinforced AZ91D alloy and AZ91D-B4C composites. It was found that with an increase in the B4C content, the wear resistance increased monotonically with hardness and ultimate tensile strength decreased. This study revealed that the addition of both a hard reinforcement (e.g., B4C) and soft reinforcement (e.g., graphite) significantly improves the wear resistance of magnesium composites. These entire results designate that the hybrid magnesium composites can be considered as an excellent material where high strength, ultimate tensile strength and wear-resistant components are of major importance, primarily in the aerospace and automotive engineering sectors.