Influence of in situ formed TiB2 particles on the abrasive wear behaviour of Al–4Cu alloy

The abrasive wear resistance of in situ Al–4Cu/TiB2 composites has been compared with that of the matrix Al–4Cu alloy. The influence of wt.% of TiB2 particles, applied load and abrasive particle size has been studied. The test results indicate that the abrasive wear resistance of Al–4Cu alloy is significantly improved with TiB2 particles. Abrasive wear rate is inversely proportional to hardness of the in situ composites. Although the reinforcement particles (<2 μm) are smaller than the abrasive particle size (30 and 90 μm), the TiB2 reinforcement effectively improves the abrasive wear resistance of the matrix Al–4Cu alloy. The wear rate of Al–4Cu alloy and composites increases with increase in applied load and abrasive particle size.