A review on aluminium metal matrix composite for tribological study on gear applications

Abstract Today’s gear materials face problems with increased weight, corrosion, and recyclability. Although aluminium could help with this issue, it cannot be used as a gear material due to its inadequate tribological and mechanical properties. In order to enhance the mechanical and tribological characteristics of aluminium alloys, composites of these alloys could be made and applied. These aluminium metal matrix composites (AMCs) have the potential to be employed as a gear material in order to address certain problems associated with existing gear materials. A rigorous evaluation is necessary to comprehend the qualities of the gear materials and how aluminium might react to actual use in order to assess their possible use. As a result, the first section reviews AMCs with various reinforcements, taking into account their tribological, mechanical and other characteristics. The microstructure and processes are also reviewed. Aluminium 7075 (Al 7075) matrix materials are the primary subject of the AMCs review. Second section illustrates investigations on various gear failures that need to be addressed before suggesting any materials for gear applications. Third part focuses on the use of AMCs in gear applications. Outcome suggests hybrid composites are better compared to conventional composites because of their higher tensile strength, better wear resistance and higher hardness. These enhanced properties will uplift the usage of AMCs in the preparation of gears, but these gears need to work at lower torques.