Aluminum/SiC/Nickel-Coated Graphite Hybrid Composites and their Wear Behavior

New materials for high performance tribological applications have been one of the major incentives for the development of aluminum-based metal matrix composites (MMCs). MMCs have received attention because of their improved specific strength, good wear resistance, higher thermal conductivity than ceramics, lower coefficient of thermal expansion, etc. Traditionally, lubricant externally added plays an important role in reducing wear in the application of wear resistance materials. However, self-lubricating materials are more desired than materials to which lubricant needs to be applied periodically, especially for wear parts difficult to be accessed, since solid lubricant contained in the former can be released automatically during the wear process and reduces wear.