Abstract
In fact, aluminium alloys have impressive mechanical and physical properties which make them robust for number of automobile applications. Reinforcing hard ceramic particles and solid lubricants with aluminium alloys gives balanced mechanical, physical and tribological characteristics for cast composites. The effect of sliding distance on tribological behaviour of Al6061-T6 alloy and its composite reinforced with hard ceramic constituent alumina (3wt.%) and solid lubricant graphite (3wt.%) fabricated through stir casting technique is discussed in this work. The American Society for Testing of Materials-G99-95 standard specimens prepared from cast composites are supposed to dry slide on the steel disc of a pin-on-disc apparatus. It is observed from the results that, for all combinations of applied load, sliding velocity and sliding distance aluminium hybrid metal matrix composite (AlHMMC) reveal superior tribological properties than the Al6061 alloy. Experimental wear test results exhibit an increasing trend of specific wear rate of AlHMMC for increasing load and sliding distance which is absolutely lesser than Al6061 alloy. However, the impact of sliding velocity evident decrease in specific wear rate upto 4.18m/s later it starts increasing with increase in sliding distance. The worn-out specimen surfaces are examined for their elemental, compound characterization and morphological analysis through energy dispersive X-ray detector spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope, respectively. Optimized process parameters are obtained by grey optimization approach which yields improved specific wear resistance and coefficient of friction. Improved results of hybrid composite offers an assurance to alternate existing cast iron brake rotor for the future.