Synthesis and tribological evaluation of aluminum-titanium diboride (Al-TiB2) metal matrix composite

Aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) have evolved into a unique field of materials science and engineering by becoming a premise for consistent research due to their excellent strength, low density, improved wear resistance, and enhanced thermal properties. The essence of AMCs lies in their ability to offer countless opportunities to tailor material properties as per the design requirements. In the current investigation, aluminum-titanium diboride metal matrix composite (Al-TiB2 MMC) has been synthesized by incorporating titanium diboride (TiB2) particles into pure aluminum melt adopting liquid state processing route to have enhanced tribological performance. Al-TiB2 MMC containing 5, 10, and 15 wt% of TiB2 were obtained by varying the reinforcement content. Metallographic and tribological studies were conducted on the as-cast Al-TiB2 MMC. Microstructural observation shows that the distribution of TiB2 particles is uniform and homogeneous into the aluminum matrix. A pin-on-disc tribometer was used to assess dry sliding wear and friction behavior of the AMC under varying load and speed at a constant sliding distance. The obtained results show an improvement in the wear behavior of Al-TiB2 MMC with increasing reinforcement content. The addition of TiB2 plays a significant role in enhancing the tribological properties of Al-TiB2 MMC. The details presented in the current work encourage researchers to shift concentration from conventional metals and alloys to Al-TiB2 MMC which offer superior wear properties.