Microstructural and Tribological Characteristics of Al-10Cu-Fe alloy Produced by Vertical Centrifugal Casting process

In this study, an attempt has been made to produce Al-10Cu-Fe alloy by vertical centrifugal casting at speeds ranging from 800 to 2850 rpm. The microstructural features, mechanical and wear properties have been investigated. The microstructure of Al-10Cu-Fe alloy consists of equiaxed grain morphology of the primary alpha-phase with eutectic phases in the interdendritic regions. It has been observed that there is a variation in the grain size from the inner surface of the casting to its outer surface. The speed also has a strong influence on the grain size and subsequent mechanical properties of the alloy. The wear properties of the alloy have been evaluated at a constant sliding velocity of 1 m/s for a range of applied load and sliding distance. The variations in the wear behavior are attributed to the size and solidification morphology of the castings.