Effects of Microstructural Features and Test\ud Parameters on the Abrasive Wear Response of an Al-Si Alloy

Abstract

This article discusses some observations pertaining to the abrasive wear response of an Al-Si alloy as influenced by microstructural features and test parameters (applied load and traversal distance). The wear performance has also been correlated with corresponding changes in mechanical properties (hardness, UTS, and elongation) and morphology (length, diameter, and length/diameter ratio) of microconstituents like Si. Microstructural/morphological alterations in the alloy were brought about through T6 heat treatment involving solutionizing followed by artificial aging for different durations. Heat treatment brought about significant alterations in the morphology (length, diameter, and length/diameter ratio) of Si particles, as was also reflected in terms of microstructural changes. The length of the Si particles decreased while their diameter increased leading to a reduction in the aspect (length/diameter) ratio of the phase in the case of the heat-treated samples compared to the as cast alloy. Decreasing length, rising diameter, and reduction in the aspect (length/diameter) ratio indicates a higher degree of spheroidization of the phase as a result of heat treatment. Increasing aging duration caused the aspect ratio to decrease further. The study suggests increasing wear loss with a rise in the applied load and traversal distance. The heat-treated samples attained improved mechanical and reduced wear loss over the as-cast samples in general, an exception being the elongation wherein the property became comparable to that of the as-cast alloy at aging durations beyond 7 h. Also, aging for 3 h seems to be sufficient to realize the benefit of heat treatment in terms of improvement in the wear behavior and mechanical properties since it leads to the highest hardness, UTS and elongation properties. Aging durations longer than 3 h led to deterioration in the UTS and elongation properties, while hardness and wear loss attained steady-state condition. The wear-related observations have further been substantiated through the characteristics of wear surfaces, subsurface regions and abrasive medium. The operating material removal mechanisms were observed to be capping, clogging, attrition, and fragmentation of the abrasive medium (particles). An interesting inference of the present study is that there seems to be a direct correlation between abrasive wear response and hardness of the alloy, while properties like UTS and elongation produce a mixed influence