Corrosion and wear behaviour of Al-Mg-Si alloy matrix hybrid composites reinforced with rice husk ash and silicon carbide

The corrosion and wear behaviour of Al-Mg-Si alloy matrix hybrid composites developed with the use of rice husk ash (RHA) and silicon carbide (SiC) particulates as reinforcements were investigated. RHA and SiC mixed in weight ratios 0:1, 1:3, 1:1, 3:1, and 1:0 were utilized to prepare 5, 7.5 and 10 wt% of the reinforcing phase with Al Mg Si alloy as matrix using double stir casting process. Open circuit corrosion potential (OCP) and potentiodynamic polarization measurements were used to study the corrosion behaviour while coefficient of friction was used to assess the wear behaviour of the composites. The corrosion and wear mechanisms were established with the aid of scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the effect of RHA/SiC weight ratio on the corrosion behaviour of the composites in 3.5% NaCl solution was not consistent for the different weight percent of reinforcement (5, 7.5, and 10 wt%) used in developing the Al-Mg-Si based composites. It was evident that for most cases the use of hybrid reinforcement of RHA and SiC resulted in improved corrosion resistance of the composites in 3.5% NaCl solution. Preferential dissolution of the more anodic Al-Mg-Si alloy matrix around the Al-Mg-Si matrix/RHA/SiC particle interfaces was identified as the primary corrosion mechanism. The coefficient of friction and consequently the wear resistance of the hybrid composites were comparable to that of the Al-Mg-Si alloy matrix reinforced with only SiC.