Evaluating the influence of vibrational assistance friction stir processing on improving the wear and mechanical properties of hybrid composite AZ31 Mg alloy

Engineering applications, particularly in the automotive and aerospace industries, are increasingly using magnesium alloys because of their high strength to weight ratio. However, the surface characteristics of magnesium alloys require enhancement to meet the demands of high-performance applications. In this study, the mechanical and tribological properties of AZ31/CeO 2 +hBN hybrid surface composites made with friction stir processing (FSP) and vibrational-assistance friction stir processing (VAFSP) are appraised. The VAFSP technique showed a significant reduction in the mean grain size to 5.19 μm, compared to 7.25 μm in the FSPed specimens. Moreover, the VAFSPed specimens exhibited a 15 % increase in hardness, with a more uniform distribution of reinforcement particles across the matrix. Results also illustrated that after VAFSP, the shear punch strength (SPT) can reach a shear strength of 178 MPa. Tribological tests showed a 40 % lower wear rate in VAFSPed specimens, demonstrating VAFSP's potential as an effective method for surface compositing of AZ31 alloy with CeO 2 and hBN.