Study of mechanical properties and wear-resistance of TiCp and HEAp co-reinforced 5083 aluminum matrix composites

Particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composites (PRAMCs) are widely used in defense, mineral drilling, and other industrial fields owing to their excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and high specific strength. In this study, high-entropy alloy particles (HEAp) and TiC particles (TiCp) were employed as reinforcements to fabricate 5083 aluminum matrix composites with 9 vol% TiCp and 12 vol% HEAp via spark plasma sintering (SPS). The effects of different heat treatment temperatures on the diffusion layer of HEAp, as well as on the microstructure, mechanical properties and wear-resistance of the composites, were systematically investigated. The underlying mechanisms for the improved mechanical properties contributed by the hybrid reinforcements were explored. The results demonstrate that the incorporation of TiCp and HEAp significantly enhances the strength, ductility, and wear resistance of the aluminum matrix composites, thereby effectively mitigating the strength–ductility trade-off. After 24 h of heat treatment, the composite achieved a compressive strength of 772.8 MPa and a maximum strain of 22.1 %. The lowest wear volume and friction coefficient, recorded as 2.31 mm 3 and 0.1698 respectively, were obtained after 12 h of heat treatment.