Influence of Microstructure and Experimental Parameters on Mechanical and Wear Properties of Al-TiC Surface Composite by FSP Route

Surface properties decide the fatigue, wear and corrosion behavior of a material. Hence their performance can be improved by surface modifications. Friction Stir Processing (FSP) is a promising technique to develop surface composite. The aim of the present study is to develop defect free surface composite of Al 5083 alloy reinforced with TiC particles and investigate the particle distribution in the matrix, mechanical properties and wear behavior of the composites. Microstructural observations were carried out by using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microstructural studies revealed that distribution of particles were more uniform in samples subjected to double pass than the single pass FSP. The microhardness profiles along top surface and across the cross section of the processed samples were evaluated. The average hardness along the top surface was found to increase by 27.27%, as compared to that of the base metal (88Hv). The particles were incorporated maximum average depth about 250μm in the surface composite. The slurry erosion tests revealed that the wear rate was highly reduced in case of double pass FSP samples as compared to base metal and single pass FSPed composite