Wear of Al-based hybrid composites containing BN and SiC particulates

During the last decade, aluminum alloys discontinuously reinforced with ceramic particulates have received increasing attention for various high-performance applications in automotive, aerospace, and transportation industries due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and superior wear resistance. Particulate-reinforced MMCs can be produced by ingot metallurgy (IM) and powder metallurgy (PM) processing routes. The advantages of PM over IM processing in the fabrication of MMCs include near-net-shape fabrication, lower processing temperatures, and improved microstructural homogeneity. In this study, the authors attempt to fabricate hybrid composites composed of Al-4 wt pct Cu matrix, boron nitride (BN), and SiC particulates. The BN particulates are selected because of their low density (2.3 g/cm3) and self-lubricant property. It is expected that BN additions can further substantially improve the wear performance of SiC/Al-4 pct Cu composites