Investigation of wear and friction behavior of stir rheocast AA2024/TiB2 composite using Taguchi approach

This study presents wear and friction behaviour of AA2024/TiB 2 composite developed in semi-solid temperature region of the alloy. The experiment is conducted based on full factorial design of experimental technique with three factors and three levels. Load, reinforcement amount, and sliding distance are the process parameters varied, and their influence is investigated using analysis of variance. Additionally, the correlation between the process parameters and the responses are determined using multiple linear regression equation. For wear rate, the load is the most influencing factor followed by sliding distance and reinforcement ratio. Similarly, for the coefficient of friction, the applied load is the most influencing factor, followed by the reinforcement ratio and sliding distance. The reinforcement ratio showed a negative effect on the wear and coefficient of friction. This shows that both decrease with an increase in the proportion of the particles in the base matrix. The wear mechanisms of the worn surfaces are also investigated using a scanning electron microscope, and it is noticed that the depth of grooves increased, and microcracks are noticed with an increase in the applied load. The developed composites can be used in application areas exposed to wear and friction. Article Highlights It is possible to develop a metal matrix composite in semi-solid temperature region of the alloy. The reinforcement particles improved the friction and wear behaviour of the matrix. The applied load is the most influencing factor of both coefficient of friction and wear.