Investigate the tribological behavior and wear characteristics of AA5128-Al₂O₃ composite through cryo-techniques

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are employed in place of more traditional materials for cryo-techniques owing to their superior strength-to-weight ratio. Cryogenic temperature technology's impact on aluminium-reinforced alumina particulate (AA5128-Al2O3) metal matrix composite (MMC) has not been extensively explored despite the material's increased popularity due to its excellent thermomechanical and tribological features. Therefore, an attempt has been made in this study to close the research gap. Sliding wear experiments are performed on AA5128-Al2O3 composites to ascertain their cryogenic tribological behavior. By coupling a cryogenic structure to a pin-on-disc (POD) arrangement, it was able to create a novel cryogenic-tribological arrangement. The cryogenic fluid is admitted into the sliding connection zone at a controlled flow and pressure, thanks to the nozzle configuration of the cryogenic-tribo system. Research on wear has been conducted in a number of conditions, including liquid nitrogen (LN2), cryogenic chilled air (CCA), and a dry atmosphere. Weight loss of the composite sample is shown to grow linearly with normal load (L) and sliding distance (D) but decreases with sliding velocity (V), as shown by the current investigation. The addition of liquid nitrogen (LN2) in a sliding contact environment significantly reduces friction and wear, as revealed by further observations. The hydraulic pressure created by the sliding contact by trapping the gas might be considered for the performance-enhancing benefits of liquid nitrogen. Because of this, the apparent coefficient of friction (ACOF) and wear rate (WR) are both decreased, relieving some of the typical load. Wear track fractures, and cracks are more common in the dry condition than in the LN2 state, as seen by microscopic images of used surfaces.