The Effect of Rolling and Aging on Mechanical and Tribological Properties in B4C Particle Reinforced Al7075 Matrix Composites

Strengthening, heat treating, or rolling these alloys with different reinforcement particles positively affects the physical, mechanical and tribological properties. In this study, materials were produced by squeeze casting method by adding B₄C particle to Al7075 alloy matrix in 4 different reinforcement ratios (4%, 8%, 10%, 12%). The physical, mechanical, and tribological properties of B₄C/Al7075 composites were compared to the Al7075 alloy. In addition, aging and rolling processes were applied to B₄C reinforced composite and Al7075 alloy, where the best mechanical properties were obtained, and the effects of these processes on hardness, tensile and flexural strengths, and tribological properties were investigated. The fracture and wear surfaces of the samples were investigated by SEM. When the effect of reinforcement ratio was examined, the highest hardness value was seen at 12% reinforcement ratio. The highest tensile and flexural strength was obtained from 10% reinforcement. Tensile strength of 10% B₄C/Al7075 composite material was determined as 249 MPa and flexural strength as 494 MPa. As in the hardness value, the best value in wear resistance was obtained from 12%. B₄C reinforcement increased the wear resistance of the Al7075 alloy. When the effect of aging was examined, it was observed that the determined properties of the materials were considerably improved depending on the aging period, but they partially decreased after a certain aging period. The rolling process also improved the determined properties of the materials, but this effect was not as high as in the aging process.