CHAPTER 1

Introduction

1.1 Background

In recent years the engineering industries are expecting the components to work under
increasingly harsh service conditions. Critical industrial components are prone to rapid
degradation due to aggressive operating conditions. The main reason behind the accelerated
deterioration of parts and their eventual failure in a large number of cases is due to material
damage by relative motion between mating surfaces, corrosive media, extreme temperatures, and
cyclic stresses. Research efforts are continuously aiming to develop methods for improving wear
resistance, corrosion resistance and fatigue life on the surface of materials for various
applications.

There are many requirements in aerospace and automotive applications where the
performance of existing materials are to be increased substantially to satisfy the growing
expectation of the customer [1]. Engineers and researchers are striving hard to find alternative
materials or production processes to improve the specific strength and wear resistance of existing
materials [2].

Currently, the automotive sector demands on improving the fuel economy and engine
performance of vehicles. The existing materials do not fully meet the demands of the broad
spectrum of properties required during service [3]. Industries are replacing the existing ferrous
alloys with the materials having good strength-to-weight ratio. General Motors introduced hyper
eutectic Al-Si alloy cylinder blocks in place of cast-iron cylinder liners in 1960. In order to
improve the wear resistance of conventional aluminium alloy, graphite was reinforced with
aluminium alloy using stir casting process [4]. Aluminium metal matrix composites have high
potential to be used as an alternative to other metals/alloys in automotive components such as
connecting rod, wrist pin, piston crown, valve, struts, drive shaft, wheels, gearbox housing, brake
disk rotors and caliper [5].