Correlation between microstructure and wear behavior of AZX915 Mg-alloy reinforced with 12 wt% TiC particles by stir-casting process

The present work concerns with correlation between microstructure and wear behavior of AZX915 Mg-alloy reinforced with 12 wt% of TiC particles by stir-casting process. Dry sliding tests were performed under ambient environment by using a pin-on-disc (EN8 steel) configuration with a normal load of 50 N at a constant sliding speed of 2.50 ms−1. While as-cast composite experienced delamination wear, heat treated composite suffered from delamination and oxidation wear during dry sliding contact. Moreover, the heat treated composite exhibited lower friction and higher wear rate as compared to the as-cast composite. Friction and wear behavior were correlated with microstructures based on the concept of oxidation tendency and crack nucleation/propagation. Further, a schematic model has been proposed illustrating wear mechanisms from the point of view of subsurface microstructural evolution of the AZX915-TiCp composite.