Erosion–corrosion and surface protection of A356 Al/ZrO2 composites produced by vortex and squeeze casting

Erosive–corrosive wear behavior of Al–Si–Mg (A356 Al) alloy and its composite reinforced by ZrO2 and produced by vortex and squeeze techniques has been studied in water containing 40% sand slurry. The worn surfaces of investigated alloys have been studied and the mechanism of material removal from the specimen surface was examined to be associated with number of subsequent and repetitive stages. The possibility of Ni coating for Al composites by electrochemical deposition is investigated. The surface layer was characterized by microhardness measurements, optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) analysis. The electrochemical results obtained from polarization studies for Ni-coated, A356 Al alloy and composites in 3.5% sodium chloride solution indicated higher protection exhibited by Ni coatings due to the nickel properties. The squeezed cast composite is characterized by high corrosion and wear resistance comparing the composite produced by vortex process. This study revealed that the Ni-coated materials provide higher abrasive resistance and therefore a longer service life compared to A356 Al–ZrO2.