Tribological aspects of Al and Mg composites

Abstract

It is well known that the technical function of a large number of engineering components/parts depends on motion. However, the term motion here is not as simple as it sounds, because it comes with consequences in the form of friction and wear. Along with lubrication, the science that deals with friction and wear is known as tribology. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to tribology and acquire knowledge on the tribological behavior of materials, as the tribological characteristics such as friction and wear have been causing poor efficiency in engineering structures, huge economic losses, and environmental impacts. One way of addressing these issues lies in the development of lightweight materials based on metals such as aluminum and magnesium. Although one cannot employ these metals in their pure form, but modification in their microstructure and properties can certainly address the needs required for tribological applications. Keeping this in mind, this chapter covers the properties of aluminum and magnesium metals, basic aspects of tribology and most importantly, the work carried out on the friction and wear behavior of aluminum- and magnesium-based composites. The importance of this chapter lies in promoting better knowledge of the tribological behavior of aluminum and magnesium composites, especially from a various wear parameters point of view. The influence of material composition and wear parameters on tribological behavior is covered with a follow-up section on numerical and optimization methods employed for predicting tribological characteristics. © 2026 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved..