JOURNAL OF THE BALKAN TRIBOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, cilt.14, sa.4, ss.482-489, 2008 (SCI-Expanded)
The metal matrix composites have many application areas such as automotive, ballistic, structure, space and air vehicles; in addition, composites have advantages such as good strength/weight ratio, high specific stiffness, high plastic flow strength, good thermal expansion, thermal stability, creep resistance, and good oxidation and corrosion resistance. In this study, composite samples were manufactured using AA1080 aluminum powders for matrix material sized between 44 and 420 mu m, and SiC particles sized 20, 53, 167 and 478 mu m, by hot pressing method. Volume fractions of reinforcements were 10, 20, 30, 40 and 0%. Mixed powders were mixed, put in the steel mould in oven and sintered for 30 min at 615 degrees C under 300-400 MPa pressure. Samples were prepared in sizes 16 mm in diameters and 5 mm in thickness. After the manufacturing, samples were tested in terms of wear. As a result of test conducted with sample having SiC size of 20 mu m, wear resistance of the composites was improved by increasing reinforcement of volume fraction. The sample with finer particles has more weight loss, up to 167 mu m. The weight loss of the samples is increased again with particle size (i.e. 478 mu m). It can be stated that the sample with SiC particles of 167 mu m has the most favourable wear resistance among all.