Abrasive wear behaviour of Al-SiC composites produced by pressure infiltration technique

In this study, abrasive wear behaviours of compacts produced by pressure infiltration technique were investigated. Pure aluminum and SiC particles having 13 and 37 μm mean diameters were used in the infiltration process. The volume fraction of the SiC particles was 60% in the compacts. Abrasive wear tests were carried out under the normal load of 28 N, by rubbing the compacts to abrasive Al₂O₃ grains with diameters in the range of 85-250 μm. Wear tests revealed that, the effect of the size of SiC particles on the wear resistance of compacts, depends on the size of the Al₂O₃ abrasive grains being rubbed. The compact which had 13 μm SiC particles exhibited higher wear rate than the compact having 37 μm SiC particles when rubbed on fine abrasive Al₂O₃ grains (<150 μm). Wear tests performed on Al₂O₃ abrasive grains having diameters higher than 150 μm revealed that, the compact reinforced with 37 μm SiC particles had higher wear rate than the compact reinforced with 13 μm SiC particles.