An understanding of the factors that in uence the strength and nature of wear is important for composites, as these Aluminium based composites containing 5 to 20 vol.properties are sensitive to the type of reinforcements6 %Al 2 O 3 as the reinforcing phase were synthesised by and method of processing.7 Several investigations have powder metallurgy. The process consisted of blenddemonstrated improved wear resistance of aluminium alloys ing aluminium powder with Al 2 O 3 powder followed reinforced with both hard ceramic phase8,9 and soft metals by hot compaction and hot extrusion. The microas a second phase.10,11 In these studies, the potential of structural features, mechanical properties and wear composite materials based on lightweight aluminium matrix characteristics of the composites were investigated with and ceramic particles, such as silicon carbide, alumina variation in volume fraction of Al 2 O 3 phase. The results and boron nitrides as dispersed phase, has been greatly indicated a continuous increase in yield and ultimate emphasised. The wear resistance of Al-Al 2 O 3 composites tensile strength with a marked decrease in ductility was reported to be superior to those containing SiC.12 The of the composites arising from increased Al 2 O 3 coninferior performance of the SiC reinforced composites is tent. High temperature tensile test data revealed that generally attributed to the reaction interface between the the strength of the base material Al and composite Al matrix and SiC. However, other investigations reported materials containing 5 and 15%Al 2 O 3 decreased that composites containing SiC exhibited a low wear rate. with increase in temperature. However, the rate ofThe size and distribution of the second phase particles play strength reduction was higher for the extruded coman important role in controlling the mechanical properties pact of unreinforced aluminium than the composites. and wear characteristics of materials. A composite with Lower wear rates were observed in the composite large size Al 2 O 3 particles was reported to exhibit properties materials than the unreinforced aluminium compacts.superior to that containing small size particles.12 Nevertheless, An increase in Al 2 O 3 content led to a decrease in wear in all cases the wear rate of composites was at least one rate of composites under the applied load of 5-35 N order of magnitude lower than that of the unreinforced and a range of sliding velocity from 0•25 to 1•5 m sÕ 1.alloy matrix. The reasons for improvement in strength and wearThe dispersion of second phase particles and characbehaviour of composite materials are discussed in teristics of the particle/matrix interface signi cantly depends light of their microstructural features.PM/1045 on the processing methodology of the composite materials.Early attempts by liquid metallurgy methods to incorporate
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