Development of a Novel Wear Equation by Comparing the Wear Behaviour of Hard (AA7075) and Soft (AA6063) Hybrid Composite Materials

Abstract

In this research, aluminium alloys AA7075 and AA6063 were reinforced with aluminium oxide and titanium oxide particles fabricated through stir casting. The Archard equation was used to model wear behavior, with the wear rate and hardness ratios determined experimentally. The addition of reinforcing particles improves hardness and wear resistance by impeding dislocation movement and refining grain size. At higher temperatures, a protective oxide layer forms, reducing wear. The wear rate decreases with increasing reinforcement percentage and increases with sliding distance. AA7075 exhibits lower wear rates than AA6063, especially at higher temperatures, due to its higher hardness. The developed wear equation in this study relates the wear rates of harder (AA7075) and softer (AA6063) composite materials by considering factors such as % reinforcement, load, sliding distance, velocity, and temperature. The equation considers the change in the wear rate of aluminium composites with respect to temperature, represented by dv/dT and accounts for the effect of temperature on wear behavior through the temperature coefficients (ɑ and β). The equation takes into deliberation the impact of these parameters on wear behavior, offering a mathematical foundation for understanding and comparing wear performance across different materials.