WEAR BEHAVIOUR OF Al/15% MELON SHELL ASH PARTICULATE COMPOSITE
Authors: Abdulwahab M, *Umaru O.B, Bawa M.A, Adams S.M, Fatai, S.B
DOI Info: N/A
ABSTRACT
The wear behaviour of Al/15% melon shell ash particulate composite has been studied. The composite was fabricated by stir casting technique and the wear test was conducted under different sliding speeds (150, 200, 250 and 300 rpm) and loads (1 N, 2 N, 4 N and 5 N), using a three-body abrasive wear machine for a dwell time of 2 minutes. The surface morphology was examined by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The effect of 15% melon shell ash was also investigated, and this resulted in a decrease of wear rate in the composite developed. From the results of wear test and microstructure analysis, the wear rate increased with increasing load for all the speed investigated with the lowest rate obtained at 2 N and a linear speed of 300 rpm, while results from microstructural study showed a uniform transfer film which became disrupted when subjected to wear. This suggests that the composite can be used as a reinforcing material for aluminum as observed in this study.
Affiliations: Department of Mechanical/Production Engineering, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria
Keywords: Wear Rate, Hard Phase, Reinforced Particles, Melon Shell Ash, Matrix
Published date: 2017/06/30