Influence of addition of Grp/Al2O3p with SiCp on wear properties of aluminum alloy 6061-T6 hybrid composites via friction stir processing

Aluminum alloy base surface hybrid composites were fabricated by incorporating with mixture of (SiC+Gr) and (SiC+Al₂O₃) particles of 20 μm in average size on an aluminum alloy 6061-T6 plate using friction stir processing (FSP). Microstructures of both the surface hybrid composites revealed that SiC, Gr and Al₂O₃are uniformly dispersed in the nugget zone (NZ). It was observed that the addition of Gr particles rather than Al₂O₃ particles with SiC particles, decreases the microhardness but immensely increases the dry sliding wear resistance of aluminum alloy 6061-T6 surface hybrid composite. The observed microhardness and wear properties are correlated with microstructures and worn micrographs.