Influence of addition of Grp/Al2O3p with SiCp on wear properties of aluminum alloy 6061-T6 hybrid composites via friction stir processing

Abstract

Aluminum alloy base surface hybrid composites were fabricated by incorporating with mixture of (SiC+Gr) and (SiC+Al2O3) particles of 20 μm in average size on an aluminum alloy 6061-T6 plate using friction stir processing (FSP). Microstructures of both the surface hybrid composites revealed that SiC, Gr and Al2O3are uniformly dispersed in the nugget zone (NZ). It was observed that the addition of Gr particles rather than Al2O3 particles with SiC particles, decreases the microhardness but immensely increases the dry sliding wear resistance of aluminum alloy 6061-T6 surface hybrid composite. The observed microhardness and wear properties are correlated with microstructures and worn micrographs.