Mechanical property evaluation and wear optimization of LM13 MMC reinforced with AlTiVZrCrMo high entropy alloy

Abstract

The increasing demand for lightweight materials with superior mechanical and tribological properties has driven the development of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) reinforced aluminum metal matrix composites (AMMCs). A 10 wt. % of ball-milled equiatomic AlTiVZrCrMo HEA is reinforced into LM 13 alloy using stir casting to enhance its mechanical properties and wear performance. The homogeneous HEA dispersion and grain refinement of the Al/HEA composite improves the microhardness, compressive strength, and tensile strength by 37.6%, 73.3%, and 47.8%, respectively, over the LM 13 alloy. The Pin-on-disc tribometer is used to evaluate the wear rate of the Al/HEA composite. The process parameters such as applied load, sliding distance, and sliding velocity are optimized using response surface methodology. Analysis of variance reveals that applied load is the influential parameter, followed by sliding distance and sliding velocity. Worn surface morphology reveals predominant wear mechanisms, including grooves, delamination, and oxide layer formation, offering insight into the composite’s wear behavior.