Composite reinforcement by oxide TiO ₂

Abstract This composite has been developed by solidification processing by the addition of 0.5–3. 5 wt% powders of oxide TiO ₂ to molten Al-Cu alloy. The dry sliding wear behavior of pins of cast composite, fabricated by the solidification of the melt-particle slurry in mold, has been determined by pin-on-disc wear tests carried out conventionally and while removing wear debris by camel brush. The accumulated volume loss in composites increases linearly with increasing the sliding distance, and the wear rate increases more or less linearly with increasing load. The increasing particle content decreases the wear rate at a given load. The accumulated volume loss is considerably higher when the wear debris is removed by a camel brush during dry sliding wear. The relatively brighter compacted oxide transfer layer could be observed in the SEM micrograph of worn pin surfaces of the composites developed by the addition of TiO ₂ . At higher loads, the oxide debris are expected to get better compacted to form the transfer layer, spread over a larger area of the sliding surface, and thus, their removal causes a larger wear compared to that without the removal of wear debris.