Development and study of mechanical and wear behaviour of LM-4 alloy reinforced with TiC particles metal matrix composites by two-stage stir casting process

Abstract

The formation and characterisation of titanium carbide (TiC) particle-reinforced LM-4 alloy composites made using a two-stage stir casting process are the main objectives of this work. TiC particles were added in different weight percentages (0 %, 3 %, 6 %, 9 %, and 12 %) to assess how they affected the mechanical and tribological characteristics of the composites. Density, porosity, yield strength, tensile strength, elongation, and hardness are important areas of study. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to analyse fractured surfaces. At a fixed sliding distance of 1000 m, wear behaviour was evaluated under various loading scenarios (20, 30, and 40 N) and rotating speeds (200, 300, and 400 rpm). Additionally, to investigate wear mechanisms and evaluate the wear rate across the various TiC reinforcement levels, a SEM investigation of the worn surfaces was conducted. The findings demonstrate the promise of LM-4 alloy composites for advanced engineering applications by shedding light on how TiC reinforcement affects the microstructure, mechanical characteristics, and wear performance of these materials.