Search Results

The tribological properties of a range of commercially produced aluminium and aluminium metal matrix composite alloys, including 2618, 2618 + 15wt% SiC, 6082, 7075, LM13, LM25 and 8090A have been investigated using standardised reciprocating dry-sliding tribometer tests against 1%Cr 1%C steel. The results were compared with similar work on thixoformed eutectic, and hypereutectic aluminium silicon alloys manufactured in the range 13wt% to 40wt%Si, in order to assess their potential for automotive applications. The influence of composition and hard anodising upon the wear life of these materials has been determined. Analysis of the friction and wear data produced has highlighted improvements in wear resistance of the MMC and hypereutectic alloys compared to the unreinforced materials. The anodising response and hence tribological performance of commercially obtained materials was found to vary strongly with alloy composition.

Possible materials' solutions to mass reduction in the transport industry are to be found within particulate-reinforced aluminium alloy matrix composites. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate how thixoforming may solve material and manufacturing problems for metallic composites with silicon carbide or silicon particles. Silicon carbide reinforced alloy was thixoformed successfully, at several reinforcement levels, showing a well-maintained particle distribution. Hypereutectic aluminium - silicon material was produced with fine uniform microstructure giving a high Young's modulus and low coefficient of thermal expansion. The results provide alternative approaches for solving slightly differing design problems and applications.