Effect of modification on microstructure wear resistance and mechanical properties of Al-12.4%Si alloy

Abstract

This work verifies the effect of adding different weight percentages of alloying elements boron and antimony 1,2 and 3 Wt% to Al-12.4% Si alloy by stir casting process on the wear rate, microstructure, and properties after the mechanical test.  A microstructure was an inspection by optical microscopy of alloy before and after adding the additional elements. The examination represents that the change occurs on the size and morphology of α-Al, also refining the silicon in the eutectic phase. The results of the mechanical test showed that the hardness, yield strength, and tensile strength increased when the Wt% of alloying elements additions increasing, but the elongation decreases when we compared with the Al-12.4%Si alloy. The wear rate determined by the pin-on-disk device before and after alloying elements adding. Also, we observed that the wear rate decreased when increasing the Wt% of boron at different applied loads (5, 10, and15N) at a constant sliding speed (2.8) m/sec, and also at fixed applied load (15 N) with variance sliding velocity such as (1.4,2.8, and4.2M/sec).