Microstructure–wear correlation in zinc–aluminium alloy containing additive species

Zinc–aluminium alloys are known to possess excellent sliding wear properties particularly at a high load and low speeds. This paper investigates the effect of the addition of commercial master alloys Al–5Ti–1B and Al–5Sr to the melt with respect to the microstructures and unlubricated wear properties of a zinc–aluminium alloy. Along with the microstructural modification, the addition of the master alloys improves the bulk hardness and the wear resistance of the zinc–aluminium alloy. The wear behaviour of the alloys is explained on the basis of the microstructure, hardness and existing models of wear and friction.