Wear behaviour of cast hypereutectic aluminium silicon alloys

In the present paper, influence of alloying elements on wear behaviour of binary (Al–17%Si) and multi-component (Al–17Si–0.8Ni–0.6Mg–1.2Cu–0.6Fe) cast hypereutectic aluminium alloys has been reported. Experimental alloys were prepared via foundry technique. Wear behaviour of Al–17Si and Al–17Si–X {X = Ni, Cu, Mg, Fe} alloys was studied using pin on disc (ASTM: G99) type of friction and wear testing machine. Dry sliding wear tests were performed at various sliding speeds (0.2–4.0 m/s) and contact loads (10–30 N) against hardened ground steel disc (hardness 60 HRC). It was observed that the addition of alloying element not only reduces the wear rate in mild oxidative wear condition but also increases the transition load. Temperature of wear pin near the sliding surface was measured and it was related to wear and friction behaviour of experimental alloys. Increase in hardness was also noticed due to alloying. SEM study of wear surface and wear debris was conducted to analyse the mode of wear and wear mechanism.