Experimental Investigation of Wear-Resistant Al 7075–SiC/TiC Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7492/r3sa2502Keywords:
Aluminium Matrix Composites, Al 7075, Stir Casting, Silicon Carbide, Titanium Carbide, Micro Hardness, Tensile Strength, Wear Resistance, Corrosion Resistance, Finite Element AnalysisAbstract
Aluminium alloy 7075 is extensively used in lightweight structural applications; however, its relatively low wear and corrosion resistance limits
performance in demanding environments. To address these limitations, Al 7075 hybrid aluminium matrix composites were fabricated using a two-step stir casting
process reinforced with equal proportions of silicon carbide (SiC) and titanium carbide (TiC) particulates at 5, 10, and 15 vol.%. The incorporation of ceramic
reinforcements significantly improved the physical, mechanical, tribological, and corrosion properties of the alloy. Density increased with reinforcement content,
with the 15 vol.% composite showing a 4.62% increase over the base alloy. Microstructural and phase analyses using XRD, optical microscopy, SEM, and EDAX
confirmed uniform dispersion of SiC and TiC particles and the presence of constituent elements. Micro hardness improved progressively by 3.6%, 10.1%, and
18.8% for 5, 10, and 15 vol.% composites, respectively. Tensile strength reached a maximum of 240 MPa for the 10 vol.% composite, while finite element analysis
predicted a maximum strength of 561.9 MPa for the 15 vol.% composite. Wear studies revealed reduced wear rate with increasing reinforcement fraction, whereas
corrosion testing in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution showed a substantial decrease in corrosion rate from 3.925 to 0.401 mm/year for the 15 vol.% composite. These results
demonstrate that SiC/TiC reinforced Al 7075 hybrid composites are promising candidates for aerospace and other lightweight high-performance engineering applications.
