Microstructural, mechanical, and wear properties of ultrasonic assisted stir casted A356 Alloy/AlN composite

The ultrasonic-assisted stir-casting method has effectively prepared A356 alloy/AlN composites. The ultrasonic treatment and integration of AlN particles are shown to greatly enhance the mechanical and wear characteristics of the matrix via grain refinement. By incorporating 9 vol.% of AlN reinforced particles, the average grain size of A356 alloy was decreased from 36 μm to 10 μm. Additionally, the hardness and tensile strength experienced a respective rise of 60.6% and 32%. With an increase in the volume percentage of AlN particles, it is found that both the wear rate and the friction coefficient decreased. It is also observed that the A356 alloy displayed severe wear, whereas the composites exhibited moderate wear.