Friction and wear behavior of as-cast Mg–Zn–Y quasicrystal materials

Mg–Zn–Y quasicrystal materials were fabricated using casting method. The friction and wear behaviors of the quasicrystal materials were investigated under dry sliding condition. The results show that the friction coefficients decreased with increasing applied loads in all Mg–Zn–Y quasicrystal materials. High applied load brought about high plastic deformation on the worn surface of the Mg–Zn–Y quasicrystal materials. The friction coefficients and the wear mass losses of the Mg–Zn–Y quasicrystal materials decreased firstly and then increased with increasing Y content. When the Y content was 2 at.%, the Mg–Zn–Y quasicrystal materials exhibited the lowest friction coefficients and the best wear resistance at all applied loads. There existed noncrystal phase in the wear debris of the Mg–25Zn–1.5Y quasicrystal material at the applied load of 70 N.