Composites: Part A 37 (2006) 457–464

www.elsevier.com/locate/compositesa

Abrasive wear of Al2O3 particle reinforced 2024 aluminium

alloy composites fabricated by vortex method
M. Kök*
Department of Mechanical Program, Vocational College Education, Kahramanmaraş Sütçü Imam University, 46100 Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

Received 23 December 2004; revised 3 May 2005; accepted 8 May 2005

Abstract
The wear behaviour of varying size and weight fraction of particles up to 30 wt% Al2O3 particles reinforced 2024 Aluminium alloy Metal
Matrix Composites (MMCs) fabricated by a vortex method was investigated in a pin on disc abrasion test apparatus against different SiC
abrasives at room conditions. Wear tests performed under the load of 2 N against SiC abrasive papers of 20 (600 grit), 46 (320 grit) and
60 mm (240 grit). The effects of sliding distance, Al2O3 particle content and size, and abrasive grit sizes on the abrasive wear properties of the
composites have been evaluated. The main wear mechanisms were identified using a scanning electron microscope. The results showed that
Al2O3 particles reinforcement improved the abrasion resistance against all the abrasives used, and the abrasive wear resistance decreased
with an increase in the sliding distance and the abrasive grit size. The wear resistance of the composites was considerably bigger than that of
the aluminium alloy and increased with increasing Al2O3 particles content and size.
q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Metal matrix composites; Al2O3 particle; Particle-reinforced composite; Wear; Abrasion wear

1. Introduction to abrasive wear conditions [14–20]. High wear resistance

of particle reinforced MMCs is due to the ceramic particle
Metal-matrix composites (MMCs) have received sub- content, which protects the metal matrix from wear. One of
stantial attention from the aerospace and automotive the major problems with the aluminium alloys that limits
industries because of their improved strength, high elastic their tribological performance is their relatively poor seizure
modulus and increased wear resistance over conventional resistance in comparison to cast iron under dry sliding
monolithic base alloys during the last decade. Improve- conditions [21]. For aluminium alloy composites, it has
ments in mechanical properties and wear resistance of been generally agreed that increasing the ceramic particle
MMCs have already been demonstrated for a variety of content can enhance wear resistance [22,23]. Therefore, the
reinforcements [1–8]. Particulate reinforced aluminium application of Al2O3 or SiC particle reinforced aluminium
alloy composites have shown a significant improvement in alloy matrix composites in the automotive and aircraft
tribological properties including sliding and abrasive wear industries is gradually increasing for pistons, cylinder-
resistance, and seizure resistance [9–13]. Thus, much heads, connecting rods etc. where the tribological properties
research has been conducted on particulate metal matrix of the material are very important [24–32].
composites for tribological applications due to the advan- Recently studies revealed that further improvements in
tages of MMCs such as good wear resistance, high load the tribological properties of aluminium alloys can be
carrying capacity and light weight. Some studies show that achieved by incorporating ceramic particles or fibres, such
these composites have potential for applications subjected as Al2O3 or SiC, into the matrix. Sato and Mehrabian [16]
have investigated the abrasive wear behaviour of an
* Tel.: C90 344 2512315 325; fax: C90 344 2512312. Al-4.0Cu-0.75Mg alloy reinforced with SiC, Si3N4, Al2O3
E-mail address: [email protected]. produced by compocasting techniques and using a pin on
1359-835X/$ - see front matter q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. disc apparatus. These wear tests indicated that the wear rates
doi:10.1016/j.compositesa.2005.05.038 of particulate composites were lower than those of the matrix
458 M. Kök / Composites: Part A 37 (2006) 457–464

aluminium alloy by a factor of about 4. Hosking et al. [33] Table 1

has demonstrated a decrease in wear rate of 2024 Al/Al2O3 Characteristics of the materials tested
composites with increasing volume fraction of Al2O3 Material Weight fraction of Al2O3 Average size of Al2O3
particles at constant particle size and also with increasing particles (wt%) particles (mm)
particle size at constant volume fraction. However, an Al
investigation of the sliding wear behaviour of an SiC Al-10-16 10 16
particle reinforced 2024 aluminium alloy composite by Al-20-16 20 16
Al-30-16 30 16
Alpas and Embury [34], using the block on ring type
Al-10-66 10 66
apparatus, indicated that the addition of 20 wt% of 14 mm Al-20-66 20 66
SiC particles to the 2024 Al alloy caused only a marginal Al-30-66 30 66
decrease in the wear rate, even though the hardness of the
composite almost doubled because of the reinforcement.
composites studied, using a Malvern Laser Size Analyzer.
Surappa et al. [12] noted an improvement in the wear
Unreinforced 2024 Al matrix alloy sample was also
resistance of Al-Si alloys when reinforced with 5 wt%
produced by the same method. The chemical composition
Al2O3 particles (100 mm). Similarly, Pramila Bai et al. [35]
observed an increase in wear resistance with increasing SiC of the 2024 Al alloy matrix was (wt%): 3.23 Cu, 0.81 Mg,
particle content from 15 to 25 wt% in an Al-7Si alloy using 0.74 Si, 0.54 Mn, 0.13 Zn and balance Al. Table 1 shows the
a pin on disc machine. Alpas et al. [36] has found that at low characteristics of the materials tested. Details of the
loads composites reinforced with SiC particles show better experimental set-up and production processes are reported
wear resistance than the unreinforced Al-7Si alloy, using a in the previous study [44].
block on ring type wear apparatus. The investigation by For microstructural investigations the test samples were
Skolianos and Kattamis [37] indicated that the specific wear prepared by standard metallographic techniques. Micro-
rate of SiC particle reinforced Al-4.5Cu-1.5Mg alloy scopic examinations of the specimens were carried out using
composites produced by stir casting increased with an a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The typical
increase in SiC particle size from 10.7 to 29 mm and the microstructures of the Al2O3/2024 Al alloy composites are
hardness decreased. shown in Fig. 1 whilst the associated material properties are
All of these investigations indicate that the wear given in Table 2.
resistance of particle reinforced composites is affected by
many factors such as the particle size and content, and the
applied load [38]. On the other hand, the abrasive wear
behaviour of the particle reinforced composites greatly
depends on factors not only (a) nature, shape, size, hardness
of particles, (b) volume fraction and distribution of particles,
(c) properties of matrix alloy, and bonding between matrix
and particles but also (d) experimental conditions including
abrasive size, applied load, sliding distance and sliding
speed [39–42]. As a result, no consistent wear behaviour of
composites has been established. Therefore, the present
work aims to investigate the effect of Al2O3 particle content
and size, abrasive size and sliding distance on the wear
behaviour of Al2O3 particle reinforced 2024 aluminium
alloy composites fabricated by a vortex method.

2. Experimental procedure

2.1. Material details

The materials used in the present work were 2024 Al

alloy composites reinforced with 10, 20 and 30 wt% Al2O3
particles, having a composition (in wt%) of minimum 93
a-alumina, 1.8 TiO2, and maximum 0.8 Fe2O3, 1.1 CaO and
0.2 other magnetic materials. They were fabricated by a
vortex method [43,44] and the average sizes of Al2O3
particles were 16 and 66 mm. The grain sizes of the Al2O3 Fig. 1. Scanning electron micrographs of the 2024Al-Al2O3 composites: (a)
particles were determined before the fabrication of the Al-30-66, (b) Al-30-16, polished, black regions are Al2O3 particles.
 M. Kök / Composites: Part A 37 (2006) 457–464 459

Table 2 After the abrasion wear tests, in order to identify the

Material properties of Al2O3/2024 Al alloy based composites main wear mechanisms the worn surfaces of the test
Material Ultimate tensile Brinell hard- Density (kg/m3) samples were also examined in a SEM.
strength (MPa) ness (BHN)
Al 68 89 2766
Al-10-16 88 104 2806 3. Results and discussion
Al-20-16 100 122 2868
Al-30-16 112 135 2911
Fig. 3(a)–(c) shows the effect of sliding distance on the
Al-10-66 80 95 2819
Al-20-66 83 110 2895 average wear volume loss of the composites with three
Al-30-66 88 118 2967 different SiC abrasive grit size. From the figure, it can be
seen that the wear volume loss increases with increasing
sliding distance and the abrasive grit size. Unreinforced
2.2. Abrasive wear tests
2024 Al alloy exhibits an extremely high weight loss during
abrasive sliding as expected. The volume loss of the matrix
A pin-on-disc with emery paper apparatus was employed
alloy is much larger than that of the composites and almost
to evaluate the wear characteristics of composites and
increases linearly with the sliding distance, while, the
aluminium matrix alloy, as shown in Fig. 2. SiC papers with
volume loss of the composites increases only slightly. It can
three different sizes of 20 (600 grit), 46 (320 grit) and 60 mm
be observed that the composites show lower volume loss
(240 grit), fixed on a rotating 115 mm diameter and 12 mm
indicating the beneficial effect of the addition of Al2O3
thick aluminium disc with the help of a double sided tape,
particles. It may be attributed to the hardness of the material
were used as abrasive mediums. Test specimens were cut
which is a dominating factor affecting the wear resistance.
from the composite disc, and shaped in the form of cylinder
The decrease in wear volume loss may also be attributed to
8 mm in diameter and 30 mm in length. Before the abrasion
higher load bearing capacity of hard reinforcing material
tests, each specimen was ground up to grade 600 abrasive
[45].
paper for making sure that the wear surface was in complete
The addition of only 10 wt% Al2O3 particle to the matrix
contact with the surface of the abrasive paper. Samples for
alloy was very effective to reduce its volume loss. This is
wear testing were loaded against the abrasive mediums by a
because the Al2O3 particles have increased the hardness of
cantilever mechanism. Wear tests were carried out at room
the 2024 Al matrix alloy considerably as shown in Table 2.
temperature with water as lubricant. The test parameters
The volume loss of composite reinforced with 10 wt%
were: normal load on the pin, 2 N, equivalent to nominal
Al2O3 increased slightly with increasing the sliding
normal stress of 0.04 MPa, sliding velocity of 2 msK1 and distance. As the particle content of Al2O3 reached
total sliding distance, 450 m. Six groups of composites and 30 wt%, the volume loss showed little changes with
aluminium matrix alloy were tested and each test was increasing the sliding distance. As shown in Fig. 3 clearly,
performed with a new abrasive paper. Before and after every among the composites, Al-30-66 specimen has shown the
test, the pins and the disc were cleaned in an ultrasonic bath lowest wear volume loss against all the abrasives used,
with acetone and then dried. During the wear tests, the end whereas, the highest wear volume loss has been observed
of the pin specimen was pressed against the abrasive paper for Al-10-16 composite. Although the rate of volume loss
on the disc, which was rotating at a fixed speed under the for the composites was much smaller than that of the matrix,
applied load. The wear loses were obtained from the the rate of volume loss in the first part of the sliding distance
differences in weight of the pin specimens measured before was larger than that in the other part of the sliding distance.
and after the tests using an electronic balance with This could be attributed to the decreasing cutting efficiency
sensitivity of 0.1 mg and converted into volume loss from of the abrasive particles during the sliding wear process and
the known density. For each test condition, at least three decreasing wear-induced work hardening of the matrix part
tests were performed and the average was used. of the composites.
The average wear volume losses of the composites for all
the materials examined in this study were determined and
are illustrated graphically in Fig. 4(a)–(c) as a function of
Al2O3 particle content for tests against SiC abrasives. It is
clear from this figure that the unreinforced matrix alloy
wore much more rapidly than the reinforced composite
materials and, in comparison with the matrix alloy the
volumetric wear losses of the composites substantially
reduced with increasing Al2O3 weight fraction from 10 to
30% and particle size from 16 to 66 mm. The size of the
Al2O3 reinforcement had a considerable effect on the
Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of the abrasion wear test apparatus. abrasion resistance of the composites which increased with
460 M. Kök / Composites: Part A 37 (2006) 457–464

(a) 20 µm (a) 20 µm
Al 1
0.06
Al-10-16
16µm
0.05 Al-30-16

WearVolume Loss (mm3)

Wear Volume Loss (mm3)

0.1
Al-10-66
0.04 66µm
Al-30-66

0.03 0.01

0.02
0.001
0.01

0
0 150 300 450 0.0001
0 10 20 30
Sliding Distance (m)
Al2O3 Particle Content (wt. %)

(b) 46 µm (b) 46 µm
1
0.1 Al
Al-10-16
16µm
Wear Volume Loss (mm3)

WearVolume Loss (mm3)

0.08 Al-30-16 0.1
Al-10-66 66µm
0.06 Al-30-66
0.01
0.04

0.02 0.001

0
0 150 300 450
0.0001
Sliding Distance (m) 0 10 20 30 40
Al2O3 Particle Content (wt. %)
(c) 60 µm
(b) 60 µm
0.1 Al 1
Al-10-16
WearVolume Loss (mm3)
Wear Volume Loss (mm3)

0.08 Al-30-16
16µm
Al-10-66
Al-30-66 0.1
0.06
66µm

0.04
0.01
0.02

0
0 150 300 450 0.001
0 10 20 30
Sliding Distance (m)
Al2O3 Particle Content (wt. %)
Fig. 3. Variation of volume loss as a function of sliding distance with the
given abrasive grit size. Fig. 4. Variation of volume loss as a function of Al2O3 particle content at a
sliding distance of 450 m with the given abrasive grit size.

increasing the reinforcement size, when the size of the

abrading particles was reduced from 60 to 20 mm. For the loss of the composites reinforced with 66 mm Al2O3
composites reinforced with both 16 and 66 mm Al2O3 particles is lower than that of the composites reinforced
particles, the wear volume loss almost decreases linearly with 16 mm Al2O3 particles. This can be due to the lack of
with increasing the particle content up to 20 wt%, when the microstructural homogeneity, greater porosity and poor
particle content is increased from 20 to 30%, the wear interfacial bonding between matrix and Al2O3 particles in
volume loss decreases only very little. Further, the volume the latter composites as observed elsewhere [43]. In the case
 M. Kök / Composites: Part A 37 (2006) 457–464 461

of 2024 Al alloy, it is considered that SiC abrasives could of material removal depends on the elastic contact load,
penetrate easily into the soft 2024 Al matrix alloy during which varies with the abrasive grit size. This can be
sliding, resulting in excessive material removal from the explained as follows. At a constant load, for abrasives with
worn surface. In the composites, material removal was large grit size the density of abrasive grains under the
delayed because there was an accumulation of Al2O3 abraded surface is diminished, so that the individual stress in
particles on the surface after the 2024 Al having been each grain is increased, contributing to the material
removed during the abrasion. The hard reinforcing Al2O3 removal; whereas the smaller-sized particles of abrasives
particles resist the micro cutting action of abrasives are only in elastic contact with a tested material and thus
effectively [46]. Hence, the abrasive wear resistance of the only support the applied load without contributing to the
composites was considerably improved due to the addition material removal [48]. Although the rate of volume loss for
of the Al2O3 particles. Generally, the wear resistance the composites was much smaller than that of the matrix
against SiC abrasives increases with increasing the size of alloy, the highest wear volume loss was observed for
reinforcing particles. This increase in wear resistance can be specimen Al-10-16 with the abrasive paper of 60 mm, on the
attributed to a better protection to the matrix from large contrary, the lowest wear volume loss was obtained for
reinforcements against abrading particles [47]. specimen Al-30-66 when the abrasive paper of 20 mm was
As shown in Fig. 4, in general the wear volume loss used. As a result, wear volume losses depend on not only
declined gently with increasing the particle content of Al2O3 particle content and size but also grit size of the SiC abrasive
reinforcement although the magnitude of the variation papers used.
changed in an irregular manner and increases were observed Some studies have been suggested for the effect of
in most cases at the lowest particle contents. A second clear abrasive grit size on the wear resistance. Mulhearn and
result was that the larger the reinforcement particle, the Samuels [49] investigated samples of SiC abrasives. They
lower wear volume loss for the composites reinforced with found that the grains in the fine grit size appeared to contain
the same wt% Al2O3 particle. The present investigation a large number of cracks which would make them break
points out a decrease in wear volume loss with increasing easily and thus reduce their ability to remove material.
particle size. The result is similar to that obtained by Larsen-Basse [50] also indicated that the conditioning and
Hosking et al [33], Alpas and Embury [34], Pramila Bai et al deterioration of fine grit abrasives is more intense than
[35], Ma et al [38] and by Jokinen and Anderson [41] at a coarse grits for a given sliding distance. Similarly, Johnson
nominal contact stress of 3.2 MNmK2, but is in contrast [51] observed that the pick up of abrasive particles by the
with that obtained by Skolianos and Kattamis [37]. wearing surface is much greater for fine than for coarse grits
The relationship between wear volume loss and SiC because the latter deteriorate less rapidly. Thus, it is to be
abrasive grit size is given in Fig. 5. The reinforcing Al2O3 expected that the wear rate should be less for a surface worn
particles were significantly efficient in enhancing the by a fine grit [50]. The investigation by Sin et al. [52]
wear resistance against SiC abrasives. The mean wear indicated that the abrasive grit size has a direct influence on
volume loss generally increases with abrasive grit size over the operating wear mechanism. They observed a transition
the range studied. However, significant improvement in the in the wear mechanism from cutting to delamination wear
wear resistance was found against abrasives with the with decreasing the abrasive grit size.
smallest grit size of 20 mm, while the effect was relatively Scanning electron micrographs of the worn surfaces of
low against abrasives with large grit size [47]. The efficiency the composites and the matrix alloy are given in Fig. 6. The
worn surface of the unreinforced 2024 Al matrix alloy was
Al characterized by extensive plastic deformation and obvious
Al-10-16 evidence of ploughing, cutting and smearing (Fig. 6(a)).
1
Al-30-16
Because the unreinforced matrix alloy was much softer than
Al-10-66
Al-30-66 the slider, the slider could penetrate and cut deeply into the
Wear Volume Loss (mm3)

0.1 surface, causing extensive plastic deformation of the surface

(Fig. 6(a)) resulting in a great amount of material loss. The
worn surface of the specimen Al-10-16 was somewhat
0.01
analogous to that of the unreinforced matrix alloy, and was
characterized by plastic deformation and with some
0.001 ploughing and cutting (Fig. 6 (b)). At the same Al2O3
particle size of 16 mm, when the particle content was
increased from 10 to 30 wt%, the worn surface consisted of
0.0001 localized grooves and fine scratches (Fig. 6(c)). At the same
20 46 60
Al 2O3 particle weight fraction of 10%, the plastic
Abrasive Grit Size (µm)
deformation on the worn surface was significantly reduced
Fig. 5. Variation of volume loss with abrasive grit size at sliding distance of with increasing the Al2O3 particle size from 16 to 66 mm,
450 m. and the worn surface was characterized by localized shallow
462 M. Kök / Composites: Part A 37 (2006) 457–464

Fig. 6. Scanning electron micrographs of worn surfaces by SiC abrasive papers of 60 mm: (a) Al matrix alloy, showing extensive grooving; (b) Al-10-16
composite; (c) Al-30-16 composite; (d) Al-10-66 composite; (e) Al-30-66 composite, showing matrix smeared over the protruding Al2O3 particles; sd: sliding
direction.

grooves and very fine scratches (Fig. 6(d)). Very little accumulation of Al2O3 particles on the surface after
apparent plastic deformation was present on the worn abrasion. As the hardness of the composites is higher, this
surface of the specimen Al-30-66 (Fig. 6(e)), which was reduces the cutting efficiency of the SiC abrasives and
characterized by very fine scratches, and many Al2O3 consequently the abrasion wear loss. Once the Al2O3
particles which protruded on the surface were ground by the particles fracture or loosen from the matrix alloy, they can
SiC abrasives [38]. be removed easily from the matrix, contributing to the
As shown in Fig. 6(e) for the composites containing large material loss [46].
particles, some Al2O3 particles protrude from the worn For the composites investigated, the most important
surface. This can be explained as follows. The SiC abrasive feature is the presence of Al2O3 particles whose hardness is
particles with sharp edges cause microploughing and much greater than the matrix alloy. Al2O3 particles in the
grooving in the surface of 2024 Al matrix alloy. Material matrix alloy provide protection to the softer matrix during
in the form of chips is removed from the grooves, exposing abrasive sliding and strengthen the aluminium matrix, thus
Al2O3 particles. The SiC abrasives come in direct contact limiting the deformation, and also resists the penetration and
with the Al2O3 reinforcing particles. Moreover, there is an cutting of the slider into the surface of the composite.
 M. Kök / Composites: Part A 37 (2006) 457–464 463

The wear resistance of the composites is therefore improved 3. The wear resistance of the composites increased with
in comparison with the matrix alloy. The Al2O3 particles increasing Al2O3 particle content and size.
also improve load-bearing capacity and thermal stability of 4. Reinforcement of Al2O3 particles improved the abrasion
the composites. This helps to reduce material adhesion to resistance of all composites tested against all the
the emery paper surface and ultimately leads to a reduced abrasives used. However, the wear resistance of the
wear volume loss, and improved seizure pressure of the composites decreased with increasing the abrasive grit
composites. size. The highest abrasion resistance of the composites
The wear resistance of the particle reinforced compo- was found against abrasives of 20 mm grit size.
sites is basically related to the wear resistance and hardness 5. The excellent wear resistance of the composites was
of the particles, and not dependent on the bulk hardness of mainly dependent on the effective resistance of Al2O3
the composites [42]. However the effect was different for particles to penetration, cutting and grinding by the SiC
smaller and larger particles. For composites containing abrasive papers.
large particles, these large particles very effectively resist 6. The improvement in wear resistance of the 16 mm Al2O3
penetration and cutting into the surface, and are not easily particle-reinforced composites was mainly attributed to
cut out by the slider because of their large size, high values the matrix strengthening by Al2O3 particles as well as
of hardness, and good bonding with the matrix. The large wear resistance of Al2O3 particles; whereas the higher
particles protruding from the surface of the composite bear wear resistance of the composites containing 66 mm
most of the wear load, and the surface hardness of the Al2O3 particles compared with those containing 16 mm
composite is mainly a result of the hardness of the Al2O3 Al2O3 particles was mainly accounted for by the
particles. Under the sliding wear testing conditions, the excellent wear resistance of the large Al2O3 particles.
main wear mechanism is cutting and ploughing for the 7 The main wear mechanism operating on the worn
composites containing small particles, whereas it is surfaces of the composites was the plastic deformation
grinding for the composites containing large particles (micro cutting and micro ploughing).
[43]. The wear volume loss of the composites decreases
with increasing Al2O3 particles size. Because of the
different wear mechanisms, the wear resistance of the
composites containing large particles is higher than that of
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