Reciprocating wear behavior of multi-directionally forged and aged Al-Cu-Li alloy

Abstract

Al-Cu-Li alloys have drawn attention because of their decreased density, which is a result of the growing need for lightweight material systems in aerospace and aircraft applications. The Al-Cu-Li alloy, which has potential usage in aerospace and aviation structural components, is the subject of this study. The alloy was subjected to multi-directional forging (MDF) and post-MDF artificial aging. Reciprocating sliding wear tests were conducted to investigate the effects of these processes on wear properties under different load conditions. After MDF, a decrease in wear resistance was noticed, on the other hand, 12 pass MDF treated samples showed improved wear resistance upon aging treatment. Wear scars and counter ball surfaces were examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) in order to understand the wear processes. The findings demonstrated that, at lower loads, adhesion and abrasion were the main wear processes; at greater loads, delamination, adhesion, and abrasion were clearly visible. Our study revealed that the MDF and its aging after processing have a substantial effect on the wear behavior of Al-Cu-Li alloy. This discovery has important implications for the development of lightweight materials that could be used in aerospace and aircraft applications.