Impact of aging temperature on the metallurgical and dry sliding wear behaviour of LM25 / Al2O3 metal matrix composite for potential automotive application

The current study exhibits the influence of aging temperatures on the metallurgical, hardness, and dry-sliding wear behaviour of LM25 (Al-6.6Si-0.2Mg) alloy reinforced with Al₂O₃ particles. The LM25 alloy reinforced with 10 wt% of alumina particles was fabricated using the liquid metallurgy route followed by solutionizing and aging. The baseline LM25 alloy and its composite were solutionized at 538 °C for 8 h and were aged at 155, 165, and 175 °C for 12 h. Optical, FESEM, EDS, and X-ray diffraction analysis were done on the fabricated alloy and its composite in all conditions. The microstructure revealed the formation of the Mg₂Si phase in the baseline alloy and the MgAl₂O₄ spinel generated at the composite interface of the aluminium matrix. The heat-treated alloy and composites were tested for their hardness on the Vickers microhardness tester. It was concluded that the aging temperature of 155 °C displayed significant enhancement in hardness values for tested samples. The heat-treated alloy and composite samples displayed an increment of 96% and 55% in hardness values relative to LM25. The wear rate and friction coefficient for the fabricated samples were analyzed using the pin-on-disc tribometer under dry sliding conditions. The hardness value increased from the as-cast state to samples aged at 155 °C and then decreased at 165 and 175 °C. Based on the wear study, a 14% and 25% decrease in the wear rate values for heat-treated alloy and composites were noted when sliding velocity was increased from 1 m/s to 3 m/s. However, the coefficient of friction (COF) decreased by 23% and 13% for the specimens in the same conditions. Furthermore, a similar trend was displayed by age-hardened LM25 alloy and the composite when subjected to varying load (5, 10, 15 N) condition. Lastly, the worn-out surface mechanisms were examined using FESEM analysis. Amongst the investigated samples, LM25/10 wt% Al₂O₃ composite aged at 155 °C revealed the least wear rate when subjected to an external load of 5 N and sliding velocity of 2 m/s. Therefore, it can be suggested to manufacture components in the automotive industry.