Investigation of Abrasive Wear Performance of AA7075/SiC Metal Matrix Composites Under Different Lubrication Conditions

Abstract Wear is a significant surface deformation, particularly resulting from friction between contact surfaces in relative motion, and is frequently observed in engineering applications. The resulting wear shortens component life, reduces system efficiency, and leads to energy losses and increased costs. In this study, the wear performance of AA7075/SiC metal matrix composite was evaluated using a ball-on-flat abrasive wear test setup. Experiments were conducted at a constant sliding speed, at different applied load levels (10 N, 20 N, and 30 N), and under different environmental conditions (dry, MQL, and Nano-MQL). SEM was used to examine surface morphologies, a profilometer to determine wear track depths, EDX to detect material transfer, and a precision balance to measure weight losses. According to the results, wear increased with increasing applied load. However, wear was significantly reduced with Nano-MQL lubricant. The least amount of wear was obtained in the experiment conducted under Nano-MQL conditions with a 10 N load. The lubricant film layer formed on the material surface thanks to the Nano-MQL medium obtained using copper-based nanoparticles has increased wear resistance. These results show that nano-modified lubrication is a beneficial method for increasing the surface strength of AA7075/SiC composite.