Abstracto

The Effect of Heat Treatment on the Dry Sliding Wear Behaviour of Grain Refined and Modified Al-7Si-0.45Mg Reinforced with B4C

Dr.MH Annaiah, Dr.AS Ravindran, Dr.CN Chandrappa

In this research paper, Grain refined and modified Al-7Si-0.45Mg cast through liquid metallurgy and reinforced with B4C was heat treated (T6). The heat treatment consists of solutionising alloy/composites at 540oC for 9 hours, quenching in water at 70oC and ageing for 5 hours at 180oC. The wear studies were carried out on both heat treated and untreated alloy/composites as per ASTM standards. A quantum enhancement in wear resistance was observed in heat treated alloy/composites compared to alloys/composites without heat treatment. The improvement in wear resistance may be attributed to the change in microstructure due to Grain refinement and modification, uniform distribution of hard particles of Boron Carbide in the matrix and spherodisation of Silicon particles due to Heat treatment.