Study on the Effect of Nitriding on Wear Behavior of Graphite Reinforced Aluminum Alloy Composites

The paper evaluates the effect of nitriding on the wear behavior of graphite reinforced aluminum 6061 alloy compo- sites. Al alloys have advantages over non-metallic materials such as light weight, corrosion-resistance, and are workable and have good thermal conductivity. The composites were prepared using the liquid metallurgy technique. The content of graphite in the composites was varied from 3 to 7% (by weight) in steps of 2%. The nitriding process was carried out at 500°C for 24 hours. Three categories of specimens, namely, the nitrided composites, non-nitrided composites, as well as the alloy specimens were tested for their wear behavior. Pin-on disc equipment was used for wear testing. X-Ray Diffraction technique (XRD) was used to confirm the implantation of nitrogen in the composites. It was observed that the nitrided composites have better wear resistance than the non-nitrided composites. It can be concluded that the ability of the sheared reinforcement layers to adhere to the sliding surface decides the effectiveness of the graphite particles in reducing the wear rate of the composite materials.