Synergetic Effect of CeO2 Doping on Structural and Tribological Behavior of Fe-Al2O3 Metal Matrix Nanocomposites

Abstract

Cerium oxide (CeO2) doped iron (Fe) - alumina (Al2O3) Metal Matrix Nanocomposites have been studied in this article. Doped with 0.5 and 1.0 percent CeO2, the nanocomposites in this system were made in the lab. Weighing, Powder milling, die pressing, and sintering at 1100 °C for one hour in an atmosphere-controlled furnace were used to develop the specimens. Microstructural inspection of a worn-out surface on the prepared specimens was carried out in addition to the phase determination and microstructural assessment that were performed on the fabricated specimens. Fe, Al2O3, CeO2, and FeAl2O4 phases were all seen in the XRD data. There were nano dispersion of FeAl2O4 and CeO2 particles in the dense phase microstructure of the produced samples. Increasing the amount of cerium oxide in the material resulted in an increase in both density and hardness. The specimen’s wear rate was shown to decrease with an increase in cerium oxide content %. The present developed material will be useful for heavy duty applications like railway wagon wheels.