Recent Progress in Aluminium Matrix Composites: a Review on Tribological Performance

Abstract

Aluminium (Al) matrix composites are widely used in the automotive and aerospace sectors due to their low density, high specific strength, and excellent tribological performance. Although wear studies on Al matrix composites started approximately 40 years ago, they still continue to attract. This review reports the latest developments on the wear performance of up-to-date Al matrix composites. For this reason, the effect of different factors such as applied load, sliding speed, sliding distance, temperature, particle content, and particle size on tribological performance was investigated, considering the coefficient of friction and wear rate. Dominant wear mechanisms depending on wear parameters were also evaluated. Consequently, the review provides the challenges and future research directions in the tribology of Al matrix composites. © The Indian Institute of Metals - IIM 2024.