three-body abrasive wear behaviour of titanium carbide...

International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology E-ISSN 2277 – 4106, P-ISSN 2347 – 5161 ©2017 INPRESSCO®, All Rights Reserved Available at http://inpressco.com/category/ijcet

Research Article

233| International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.7, No.1 (Feb 2017)

Three-Body Abrasive Wear Behaviour of Titanium Carbide/Aluminium Composites Phaneendra Kumar A L#* and N. Chikkanna^

#TE Connectivity India Pvt. Ltd., RMZ NXT, 1 B, 3rd Floor, EPIP Area, Whitefield Road, Bangalore, India ^Aerospace Propulsion Technology, VTU, Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur, India

Accepted 17 Feb 2017, Available online 23 Feb 2017, Vol.7, No.1 (Feb 2017)

Abstract The aim of the research work was to investigate effect of titanium carbide (TiC) Al metal matrix composites (MMCs) on 3-D body abrasive wear behavior. The wear behavior of the Al/TiC MMCs was studied by varying wt. % of TiC and wear conditions such as dry sand, neutral aqueous slurry, acidic slurry and basic slurry using rubber wheel abrasion tester at 200 rpm test speed. The results showed that the abrasive rate of Al/TiC composite reduces significantly on the addition of TiC. And also reveals that TiC enhances the abrasive resistance of Al alloy. It has been shown that the all three aqueous solutions act as lubricant hence noticeable reduction in the abrasive wear over that of dry condition wear. Both acid and basic slurry enhances the material rate compare to neutral aqueous condition but much lower than that of dry abrasive conditions. The worn-out surfaces specimens were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM shows that the abrasive due to particle pullout micro cutting and ploughing along with voids. Keywords: CB; Dry abrasive; aqueous solution; Al alloy 1. Introduction

1 Presently, the industries and research organizations are looking forward towards high specific strength materials for marine, automobile and aerospace industry. In this direction metal matrix composite (MMCs) are potential materials for many industrial applications due to good tribological applications (Hong Chang et al, 2010; A. B. Gurcan et al, 1995; L. Zhang et al, 2008; M. Hashempour et al, 2010) in other direction, the ductility of the MMCs is maintained along with stiffness of the MMCs. Recent research work focused on hard reinforcement such as zirconia, SiC and WC etc have been mixed with aluminium alloy to improve their wear resistance drastically along with fatigue and corrosion resistance (Shihai Cui et al, 2007). In other hand titanium carbide (TiC), is more attractive material due to their physical, chemical, mechanical, electrical and thermal properties (C. Blanc et al, 1999; D. Vallauri et al, 2008). The TiC chemically high stable in various temperature ranges and does not react with matrix alloy. Many researchers worked on the pin on disc wear behavior of composites with addition of different reinforcement (A. P. Sannino et al, 1995: R. L. Deuis et al, 1998). However, no work is focused on abrasive wear behavior in aqueous medium such as neutral, acidic and basic medium. Water may

*Correspoding author Phaneendra Kumar A L is working as Deputy Manager and N. Chikkanna as Professor & Chairman

affect the wear / abrasion of materials by a number of mechanisms, primarily as agents of corrosion or lubrication. Schumacher (W. Schumacher, 1985) conducted abrasion–corrosion tests in a ball mill and demonstrated that in stainless steels, the corrosion–abrasion rate was of the order of 10% greater than the abrasion-only rate whereas in Hadfield steel the abrasion–corrosion rate was more than seven times that of the abrasion-only rate. Few studies where wet and dry abrasion has been compared (P.A. Swanson et al, 1981; A.W. Ruff et al, 1993; R.L. Deuis et al, 1998) different apparatus or test conditions were used for the two conditions. The objective of the work design test rig based on the ASTM G65 rubber wheel test, which allows the use of both abrasive slurry (neutral, acidic and base) and dries abrasive and demonstrates its general applicability in this field of abrasion–corrosion testing of TiC/aluminium composites. 2. Experimental Studies For present investigation Al 6061 alloy was select as a matrix material due to its excellent casting property and moderate mechanical strength. The composition of matrix alloy is given in Table 1.

Table 1 Chemical composition of Al 6061 alloy

Mg Fe Cu Si Al 0.92 0.28 0.22 0.76 Balance

Phaneendra Kumar A L et al Three-Body Abrasive Wear Behaviour of Titanium Carbide/Aluminium Composites


The ceramic Titanium carbide (TiC) is used as a reinforcement due to its excellent abrasion resistance with excellent hardness. All composition of Al/TiC composite specimens for ball-cratering abrasive were fabricated using stir casting technique, with composition of TiC particles in step of 5, 10, 15 and 20 % by weight. The special type abrasive wear test rig was designed as per ASTM G65-86 as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig.1 Rubber wheel abrasive tester The designed test rig has many features such as dry abrasive and different corrosive erosive abrasive testing facilities. In both cases the abrasive slurry (wet condition) or powder (dry condition) were introduced between the meeting surfaces of rubber wheel (polyurethane rubber) and specimen to minimize the abrasion effect on the particles. The specimen placed at a 40 inclination to horizontal for both dry and wet abrasive condition. The specimen (25 mm x 76 mm x 10 mm)) and rubber wheel length maintained same (25 mm) for steady state material removal from the specimens and the abrasive medium is restricted to pass through between these surfaces. The all experiment done by as per Shipway & Wirojanupatump (P. H. Shipway et al, 2002). The rubber wheel is rotated at 200 rpm and the abrasive slurry introduce at approx. 370± 10 g/min in all condition. The test rig was used to investigate the abrasive wear loss of three types of materials under dry conditions, slurry conditions with distilled water and slurry conditions 5% H2SO4 and 5% NaOH solution. The abrasive employed was alumina. The alumina was sieved into a 500 to 600 μm size fraction using a mechanical sieve shaker. The abrasive wear rate was computed by mass loss during the abrasion using electronic balance with 0.1 mg accuracy. Worn-out surfaces and chemical composition were studied using SEM micrograph and EDS.

3. Results and discussion

Fig. 2 shows micrographs of Al6061 alloy and Al/TiC composites presenting fairly homogeneous TiC distributions. But small amount of unconnected porosity in the base alloy could be seen. The Fig. 2 shows good interfacial strength between TiC particle and base alloy.

Fig.2 Microstructure of a) Etched Al and b) unetched Al/TiC composites

Fig. 3 shows the abrasive wear rates of the Al and Al/TiC composites under different conditions such as dry condition (Fig.3a), in slurry conditions with a neutral aqueous carrier (Fig. 3b), in slurry condition with an acidity carrier (Fig. 3c) and in slurry condition with a base carrier (Fig. 3c). In all cases, it can be seen that there is a substantial decrease in wear rate with increase reinforcement in the composites and also decrease in wear rate in aqueous conditions with the wear rates of the matrix alloy. The cause of the lower wear of the investigated composite materials containing more reinforcing phases in a phenomenon of protruding of the reinforcing particles over the abrasive particles The wear rate of both the Al and Al/TiC significantly reduced by the presence of a neutral aqueous carrier, indicating that if corrosion is significant, it generally serves to form a protective film. Corrosion of the specimens occurred during testing in slurry conditions and the severity of the corrosion was governed by the nature of the aqueous carrier. Acidic and basic corrosion could affect the overall rate of material removal either by corrosion-enhanced abrasion or by formation of a corrosion product which protects the aluminum from abrasion. Fig. 3(b) shows the abrasive rate of both the Al and Al/TiC composites was significantly reduced by the presence of a neutral aqueous carrier, indicating the neutral water media acts as a lubricant between abrasive particle and composites surface. In other hand the abrasion resistance also increased due to form a protective film (Dheerendra Kumar Dwivedi, 2006). Fig. 3(c) & 3(d) acidic and basic carrier respectively show the corrosion films which undoubtedly form are thin and provide an significant barrier to abrasion by relatively large.



Fig.3 Abrasion rates of Al and Al/TiC Composites materials in a) dry, b) neutral, c) acidic and d) basic

conditions However the corrosion is enhanced in an acidic and basic carrier, the abrasion rate increases. Rajaram (Rajaram G et al, 2010) suggested that an aqueous carrier in the rubber wheel test will reduce the rubber temperature capered to that for dry operation, thus in dry condition reducing loss of rubber hardness and leading to higher wear rate. Fig. 4 shows the abrasion rates of the Al matrix and Al/TiC composite under dry conditions, neutral slurry condition, acidic slurry condition and basic slurry condition.

Fig.4 Abrasion rates of Al and Al/TiC composite in different condition (dry condition, neutral carrier,

acidic carrier and basic carrier)

In all cases, it can be seen that there is substantial decrease in abrasive rate in aqueous condition with abrasive rate of the Al matrix and Al/TiC composites. Wear scratches on the surface of the test specimens are shown in Fig. 5. Wear scratches of the Al under dry condition (Fig. 5(1-a)) shows scratched damage with severe disruption of the surface indicating wear was occurring by indentation and subsequent ductile fracture. There is also evidence of abrasive particle fragmentation an embedment into the wearing surface. The contact patches were found to be around 500 μm. When Fig.5(2-a) is examined, a dominant erosive wear for the 20% TiC added Al material although small adhesive wear lands are also observed in some areas. No contact patches for seen in composites specimen was seen. But wear in neutral slurry as shown in Fig. 5 (1-b) results in a change of abrasive motion with fine scale grooving the specimen indicative of two-body abrasion. There is no severe surface disruption as was observed with only fine scale micro cutting and ploughing in evidence. Fig. 5(2-b) shows that TiC added specimen have significantly lower contact patches when compared to matrix alloy. When Fig. 5(1-c) and Fig. 5(2-c) shows matrix alloy exposure acidic slurry is very similar to that of from the neutral slurry; however, there is evidence of the corrosive action of the slurry in the form of elongated pits in the sample. Fig. 5(1-d) and Fig. 5(2-d) shows scar following wear in basic slurry of Al matrix and Al/TiC composites specimens. Wear in the basic slurry results some areas of the specimen being severely worn out and some area exhibits no such variation across the surface. The TiC particles sometimes partially results reduce in patches on the wear surface and sometimes embedded in contact surface.

1-a)

1-b)



1-c)

1-d)

2-a)

2-b)

2-c)

2-d)

Fig. 5 Abrasive wear surface of Al 6061 alloy (1) and Al/15 wt. % TiC composite (2) at abrasive rate 370 ±

10 g/min and 60 min duration for different conditions such as a) dry abrasive, b) neutral slurry, c) acidic

slurry and d) basic slurry respectively

Conclusions A sand / rubber wheel based wear test has been built which allows wear testing occur in both slurry (neutral, acid and basic) dry environment. It has been shown that the presence of the water medium significantly reduces the wear rate of eh Al and Al /TiC composites irrespective of acid and basic media. But more corrosive aqueous environments (acid and basic) material removal rate was increase in abrasion rate. The incorporation of TiC particles in the aluminium matrix as a second reinforcement decreases the wear rates of the composite.

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three-body abrasive wear behaviour of titanium carbide...

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