Tribological Behaviour of Iron-Aluminium Alloy

Abstract

Iron-Aluminium based alloys have a significant prospective for operational applications at elevated temperature as they retain an outstanding elevated temperature corrosion resistance and they possess a lower density compared to other Iron- base materials such as cast iron and stainless steels. Material cost of IonAluminium based alloys is comparably low because their manufacturing and handling process are widely available. Fe-Al alloy is gaining its attractiveness in many business applications due to its wear properties and erosion properties, which is because of the presence of Al. The current study is focused on investigating the mechanical properties and tribological behaviour of Fe-Al alloy (Fe wt%94.18 and Al wt% 5.82) to various heat treatment processes. In this investigation we deal with the analysis of microstructure by means of microscope, crystalline phases and its structural properties by means of XRD analysis. Specimens are heat treated at different temperature (4000C, 6000C, 8000C and 12000C) and then quenched. The soaking time being 2 hours and quenching media is simply water. After heat treatment, we have to investigate the comparison between mechanical properties and behaviour of the material by means of metallography, XRD analysis and Vickers hardness test. After Vickers hardness test, erosion properties are measured by means of Air jet iv erosion test rig machine. It is found that water quenched from 12000C heated sample shows slightly increase in hardness, which is mainly due to new phase Al5W reveals in XRD pattern with highest intensity. XRD analysis shows that all samples of FeAl alloy are of BCC structure. Erosion wear test was executed on Fe-Al alloy by air jet erosion test rig. The volume of removed material gives the measurement of erosion wear at impact angles 300 ,600 and 900 . It is found that all heat treated samples (except quenched from 12000C sample) having maximum disinterested material volume at 600 impact angles, which shows that all samples are semi ductile. But in case of quenched from 12000C sample having maximum removed material volume is at 900 impact angle, shows brittle in nature. So it was shown that Fe-Al alloy with proper heat treatment has outstanding erosion resistance and it is estimated to find extensive applications as a wear resistant material.