Microstructure, Worn Surface, Wear Assessment and Taguchi’s Approach of Titanium Alloy Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites for Automotive Applications 2023-01-5103

Lightweight materials are in great demand in the automotive sector to enhance system performance. The automotive sector uses composite materials to strengthen the physical and mechanical qualities of light weight materials and to improve their functionality. Automotive elements such as the body shell, braking system, steering, engine, battery, seat, dashboard, bumper, wheel, door panelling, and gearbox are made of lightweight materials. Lightweight automotive metals are gradually replacing low-carbon steel and cast iron in automobile manufacture. Aluminium alloys, Magnesium alloys, Titanium alloys, advanced high-strength steel, Ultra-high strength steel, carbon fiber-reinforced polymers, and polymer composites are examples of materials used for light weighing or automobile decreased weight. The ever-present demand for fuel-efficient and ecologically friendly transport vehicles has heightened awareness of lowering weight and performance development. Titanium alloys properties are increasing in the variety of applications in automotive parts such as fuel tanks, exhaust pipes, engine parts such as connecting rods, engine valves, reinforcing and stiffening parts, sub frames, body panels, fuel cell components, and electrification components. Motorcycles and automobiles that demand high dynamic performance, such as racing cars and bikes, commercial vehicles, and cargo trucks, must increase time on the circuit and have a good reaction. As a result, titanium alloys are frequently used to significantly reduce weight while increasing the performance output of automotive systems. The innovative investigation of titanium metal matrix (Ti-6Al-4V) composite with added multi reinforcement of tungsten carbide particles (WCp) and graphite particles (Grp) were examined on its tribological behavior. The Ti-6Al-4V built-in different composites Ti-6Al-4V/4%WCp/4%Gr and Ti-6Al- 4V/8%WCp/8%Gr with a size of WCp and Gr was 44μm and 15μm invented through stir casting. The investigations were carried out as wear experiments using a pin-on-disc tribometer in dry sliding circumstances at three distinct load (15N, 20N, 25N), sliding distance (1000m, 2000m, 3000m), and sliding velocity (2.5m/s, 4.5m/s, 6.5m/s). The significance of various strictures on wear analysis was investigated using Taguchi’s L27 orthogonal array approach. The findings of Taguchi’s and design of experiment show that the variables most likely to have an impact on wear loss is load, sliding distance, and sliding velocity. The composites bonding structure and wear surface were examined using an optical microscope and a field emission scanning electron microscope. The wear tests reveal that the treated Titanium alloy hybrid metal matrix composites with tungsten carbide and graphite particles have excellent wear qualities with a sliding velocity of 6.5 m/s and a load of up to 35 N in the region with the lowest wear loss of 0.039mm³/m. This study adds additional data to the dry slide wear resistance of composite consisting of Ti-6Al-4V alloy and reinforced through WCp with Grp, which are ideal for usage in automotive and transportation applications. The automotive industries employed dynamic conditions resulting in wear loss. To reduce wear and increase vehicle economy and performance, the tribological behavior was researched.