Optimization of wear behaviour of hybrid Al(6061)-Al2O3-B4C composites through hybrid optimization method

Al-based hybrid metal matrix composites were prepared through stir casting method by reinforcing aluminium oxide or alumina (Al₂O₃) and boron carbide (B₄C) particles into Al matrix with their varying proportions. The wear analysis of prepared hybrid MMCs was performed using the Pin-on-disc method and wear parameters were also optimized with objectives of minimizing the weight loss (WL) and coefficient of friction (COF) through integrated Grey-Taguchi techniques. Morphological analysis was also performed to explain the wear mechanism through a Scanning electron microscope (SEM). The maximum improvement in the weight loss of 71.33 % and in coefficients of friction of 35.35 % was found for the hybrid composites as compared to that of Al-alloy matrix. Further, the ANOVA results suggested that compositions has the maximum contribution of 94.47 %, sliding speed has 1.06 %, sliding distance has 1.04 %, and load has 3.16 % on the wear performance of the present hybrid composites.