EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE WEAR CHARACTERISTICS OF HEAT TREATED ALUMINIUM HYBRID COMPOSITES

The present experimental investigation was aimed to study the wear characteristics of an aluminium hybrid composite subjected to heat treatment. The matrix material selected for this study was Al6061. The reinforcement materials used are silicon carbide (SiC) and graphite particulates. The composites specimens have been prepared using stir casting method with 10 wt% of SiC and 2, 4 wt% of graphite particles. The prepared composite specimens and unreinforced alloy have been subjected to a temperature of 530°C for one hour. It is then followed by water quenching. Then artificial ageing to the quenched samples are done with different ageing durations like 4, 6, 8 hr at a temperature of 175°C. Rockwell hardness measurements were made using ‘B' scale. Wear tests were carried out on the heat treated as cast 6061 alloy and its composites using pin-on-disc machine. Microstructure of the wear surface of heat treated composite specimens was taken using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to study the wear mechanism. From this experimental study, it is concluded that heat treatment had a significant effect on hardness and wear property of both the unreinforced alloy its composites.