Fabrication and Wear Characteristics of Al8011/ZTA/GP/Ti6Al4V Hybrid Composites Using Ultrasonic-Assisted Stir Casting

Technological advancements in material science are imperative to developing efficient and lightweight materials for various technological sectors such as automobile, aerospace, naval, and defence. An attempt was made to fabricate hybrid Al8011 composites reinforced with zirconia toughened alumina, graphene platelets, and Ti6Al4V particulates with different weight percentages using ultrasonic-assisted stir casting with die squeeze pressure technique. This study examines the microstructural, mechanical, and wear characteristics of hybrid Al8011 composites. The results demonstrate a uniform distribution of reinforcement particulates within the matrix. Additionally, the hybrid composite containing 2.5% Ti6Al4V exhibits a hardness of 72 HV and a tensile strength of 172 MPa. Dry sliding wear experiments were conducted using an L27 orthogonal array with three levels and three parameters. The outputs measured were specific wear rate and coefficient of friction. ANN predicts wear and friction behaviour with three inputs, two outputs, and two hidden layers. The findings proved a strong correlation of 98.381% R-value and a mean square error of 0.017 for the composite incorporated with 2.5% Ti6Al4V. Furthermore, the microstructural analysis of worn surfaces revealed characteristic features like grooves, delamination, ploughing, and debris.