Experimental Investigation of Mechanical Property and Wear Behaviour of T6 Treated A356 Alloy with Minor Addition of Copper and Zinc

Nithesh Kashimat, Sathyashankara Sharma, Rajesh Nayak, Karthik Birur Manjunathaiah, Manjunath Shettar, Gowrishankar Mandya Chennegowda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The present study examines the effect of trace additions of copper (up to 1 wt.%) and zinc (0.5 wt.%) as the alloying elements on the microstructure, hardness, and wear behaviour of T6 treated A356 (Al-7Si) alloy. Wear tests were conducted using a pin-on-disc tribometer under a constant sliding speed of 200 RPM, varying applied load (20–40 N), and sliding distance (0–3000 m) to determine the wear rate and the coefficient of friction. The results indicated a minimum of 1 wt.% of copper was required to form the Al2Cu intermetallic phase, resulting in a finer grain structure and improved hardness. However, the role of zinc as a trace element was not observed on the microstructure; the observed changes may be the combined effect of copper and zinc as a whole. The highest hardness of 107 VHN (98% increase) was achieved with 1 wt.% copper addition during peak aging at 100 °C. Also, wear tests showed that adding 1 wt.% copper to the A356 alloy and a 100 °C precipitation hardening (T6) treatment improved the wear resistance by 150–182% with a reduced coefficient of friction.

Original languageEnglish
Article number149
JournalJournal of Composites Science
Volume7
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 04-2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Ceramics and Composites
  • Engineering (miscellaneous)

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