Effect of reinforcement and applied load on three-body dry sand abrasive wear behavior of A356 bottom ash metal matrix composites

Abstract In the present study, effect of reinforcement and applied load on three-body dry sand abrasive wear behavior of A356-bottom ash metal matrix composites was carried out. The composites were fabricated using liquid metrological technique. The obtained as-cast specimens were heat treated at solutionizing temperature of 530 °C for 6 h followed by ice quenching with ageing time of 2 h. The sand abrasive wear tests were conducted at room temperature using silica sand of 200 µm as an abrasive medium as per ASTM standard G 65–81. Speed of 200 rpm, time of 30 min was kept constant for all the tests and wt% of reinforcement (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 wt%) and load of (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 N) was varied for five levels. The obtained results revealed that, the wear rate is affected from heat treatment and varying wt% of reinforcement and applied load. The wear resistance increases with the increase in percentage of reinforcement and decreases with the increase in the applied load for the given speed and time. Further, worn surfaces and wear mechanism was analyzed by using scanning electron microscope.