Optimizing the Tribological Performance of Copper-Reinforced A356 Aluminum Alloy: Influence of Heat Treatment and Composition Variation
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Methodology
2.1. Fabrication
2.2. Microstructure
2.3. Hardness Test
2.4. Age Hardening
2.5. Wear
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Microstructure
3.2. Hardness Test
3.2.1. As-Cast Condition
3.2.2. Age-Hardened Condition
3.3. Wear Test
3.3.1. Dry-Sliding Wear Test in As-Cast Conditions
3.3.2. Dry-Sliding Wear Test in Heat-Treated Conditions
4. Conclusions
- The introduction of Cu reinforcements significantly improved the hardness of A356 composites. The as-cast composites showed hardness enhancements of 10.79%, 22.4%, 29.3%, and 35.8% for C1, C2, C3, and C4, respectively, in comparison to the base A356 alloy. The greatest hardness improvement of 58% was observed in the 4 wt.% Cu composites, primarily due to the development of Al2Cu intermetallic phases, which contributed to solute hardening and promoted age-hardening effects.
- Aging treatment at 100 °C resulted in superior hardness to that at 200 °C due to the development of fine, well-dispersed Al2Cu precipitates. Peak hardness values were achieved at different time intervals, increasing with higher Cu content.
- The addition of 4 wt.% copper extensively enhanced the wear resistance of A356 composites, exhibiting the lowest wear rate under all the applied loads. Higher Cu content also reduced the coefficient of friction and improved the composite’s load-bearing capacity, minimizing material deformation during wear testing. Heat-treated A356 composites demonstrated substantial improvements in wear resistance, with Cu reinforcement leading to a 50–60% increase at lower loads and 80–90% at higher loads compared to the as-cast samples. The C4 composite (4 wt.% Cu) exhibited the highest wear resistance across all test conditions, highlighting the advantages of copper addition and age-hardening treatment.
- The improvement in wear resistance properties was due to the incorporation of Cu reinforcements with optimized processing through two-step stir casting and heat treatment, which led to a refined and homogeneous microstructure with minimal porosity or agglomeration. This uniformity contributed to better stress distribution during wear testing. The fine, evenly dispersed intermetallic phases formed during the aging treatment also acted as a barrier to wear propagation, confirming the suitability of the composite with 4 wt.% Cu addition under high wear conditions.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Element | Si | Mg | Fe | Cu | Zn | Ti | Al |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
wt.% | 7.2 | 0.39 | 0.18 | 0.15 | 0.08 | 0.16 | Balance |
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Divya Deepak, G.; Kashimat, N.; Birur Manjunathaiah, K.; Nayak, V.; Anne, G.; Sharma, S. Optimizing the Tribological Performance of Copper-Reinforced A356 Aluminum Alloy: Influence of Heat Treatment and Composition Variation. J. Compos. Sci. 2025, 9, 287. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs9060287
Divya Deepak G, Kashimat N, Birur Manjunathaiah K, Nayak V, Anne G, Sharma S. Optimizing the Tribological Performance of Copper-Reinforced A356 Aluminum Alloy: Influence of Heat Treatment and Composition Variation. Journal of Composites Science. 2025; 9(6):287. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs9060287
Chicago/Turabian StyleDivya Deepak, G., Nithesh Kashimat, Karthik Birur Manjunathaiah, Vignesha Nayak, Gajanan Anne, and Sathyashankara Sharma. 2025. "Optimizing the Tribological Performance of Copper-Reinforced A356 Aluminum Alloy: Influence of Heat Treatment and Composition Variation" Journal of Composites Science 9, no. 6: 287. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs9060287
APA StyleDivya Deepak, G., Kashimat, N., Birur Manjunathaiah, K., Nayak, V., Anne, G., & Sharma, S. (2025). Optimizing the Tribological Performance of Copper-Reinforced A356 Aluminum Alloy: Influence of Heat Treatment and Composition Variation. Journal of Composites Science, 9(6), 287. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs9060287