Investigating and Understanding the Mechanical and Tribological Properties of a Magnesium Hybrid Metal-Ceramic Nanocomposite

摘要

A major limitation of magnesium-based materials is their low wear resistance, which results in premature failure of components during service. In this paper, the tribological behaviour of Mg-5Nb metal-metal composite reinforced with varying weight fractions of nano-sized silicon carbide nano-silicon carbide (SiCn) ceramic particles is presented and briefly discussed. The composites were made using the technique of disintegrated melt deposition (DMD) followed by hot extrusion. Tribological test results showed improved wear resistance of the nanocomposites, which can be attributed to the conjoint and mutually interactive influences of grain refinement, presence of hard, brittle and elastically deforming SiCn particles, and the formation and presence of hard and brittle intermetallic phases. These in synergism contribute to increasing the hardness of the nanocomposites with a concomitant improvement in wear resistance. From a careful and comprehensive analysis of the worn surface analysis, the governing wear mechanisms were identified for the developed materials.