Influence of normal load and sliding velocity on abrasive wear of hybrid AA5083/B 4 C/TiB 2 composites

Aluminium alloys are widely used in engineering applications due to their low density, good mechanical properties and cost-effectiveness. In this study, AA5083-based hybrid metal matrix composites containing 4 wt.% B4C and 5, 7, 9 and 11 wt.% TiB2 were fabricated using stir casting. Their tribological behaviour is evaluated under different normal loads and sliding velocities over a constant sliding distance of 1500 m. The Taguchi method with an L16 orthogonal array is used to optimize the parameters for minimizing specific wear rate (SWR) and coefficient of friction (COF). The B4T9 composite exhibited the best overall tribological performance. At 3 m/s, its COF decreased by 17.83% at 10 N and 25.56% at 40 N, while SWR decreased by 48% and 28.79%, respectively, compared with unreinforced AA5083. SEM analysis revealed micro-ploughing, debris, craters, micro-pits and delamination. The composite shows potential for lightweight automotive, marine and structural applications.