Wear behavior of SiC-reinforced AZ31B magnesium alloy surface composites fabricated by friction stir processing

This research successfully produced surface composites of AZ31B magnesium alloy reinforced with silicon carbide particles, utilizing the Friction Stir Processing hole method. To evaluate the influence of key processing variables—tool rotational speed, traverse speed, hole diameter, and tool pin profile—on the composite's wear performance, a Taguchi L9 orthogonal array was designed. Wear testing was then conducted on cylindrical samples extracted from the stir zone, adhering to ASTM G99 standards using the Pin-on-Disk method across sliding distances of 500 m, 1000 m, and 1500 m. The results indicated that incorporating SiC significantly improved both the wear resistance and microhardness of the AZ31B alloy. Optimized samples demonstrated reduced weight loss and wear rate, attributed to the uniform dispersion of reinforcement particles, grain refinement, and robust interfacial bonding. Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis confirmed that specimens with inadequate particle distribution exhibited delamination and abrasive wear, whereas well-processed composites displayed minimal surface damage. These results suggest that the FSP-hole method offers a feasible approach for modifying the surface characteristics of lightweight magnesium alloys for applications requiring high tribological performance.