Characterizing sliding wear behavior of A1100/AlFe (p) composites produced via repeated fold-forging and annealing

Abstract Aluminum matrix/aluminum-iron intermetallic composite materials pose challenges in plastic processing due to the susceptibility of hard intermetallic compound particles to fracture. This study introduces a novel fabrication method involving pure iron mesh, hot-dip aluminum plating, and solidification. Through ten consecutive folding, forging, and intermediate annealing cycles, aluminum matrix and iron undergo diffusion, leading to the formation of Fe 2 Al 5 and FeAl 3 interface reaction layers, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. Subsequent forging cycles cause the breakage or detachment of Fe 2 Al 5 and FeAl 3 particles from the interface, resulting in the formation of large-sized Fe 2 Al 5 and small-sized Fe 2 Al 5 intermetallic particles. FeAl 3 intermetallic particles are observed via microscopic examination. These particles can be uniformly dispersed within the aluminum matrix through plastic flow, enabling the successful fabrication of A1100/Fe 2 Al 5 and AlFe 3 composite sheets. Furthermore, the study investigates the impact of intermetallic compound content, sliding speed, and forward load on the dry sliding wear of A1100/FeAl composites. It is found that Fe 2 Al 5 and AlFe 3 intermetallic compound particles effectively mitigate adhesive wear, plowing, and oxidative wear of the composites. With an AlFe intermetallic compound content of 4.3 wt.%, the volume wear rate remains low under conditions corresponding to PV = 56.652 (equivalent to a normal load of 19.6 kPa and a sliding speed of 2.87 m s −1 ).