Exploring mechanical, wear, and corrosion characteristics of Al–Si–Mg nano-composites reinforced with nano-silicon dioxide and tungsten carbide

The present work summarizes the mechanical, tribological, and corrosion properties of the aluminum 6061 alloy composite that has been strengthened with a novel combination of 2 wt% nano-silicon dioxide (nSiO₂) and varying percentages of tungsten carbide (WC) particles. Microstructural analysis, microhardness, tensile testing, impact testing, and porosity measures have all been assessed in addition to wear and corrosion studies. The results showed that adding 2 wt% nSiO₂ to the Al matrix caused the porosity of the composites to decrease, and adding WC caused it to rise. All composites exhibited an improvement in hardness but a decrease in impact strength. The composite containing 9 wt% WC (NAC4) has a hardness that is 2.3, 1.58, 1.35, and 1.25 times greater than that of the ACA, NAC1, NAC2, and NAC3 composites, in that order. The addition of nSiO₂ and an increasing amount of WC reduces elongation and increases tensile strength. The ultimate tensile strength of the NAC4 composites increased by 46.72, 27.86, 24.59, and 10.65%, respectively, compared to the ACA, NAC1, NAC2, and NAC3 composites. The cracked surface of the nSiO₂ with WC-reinforced composites displays a mixed fracture mechanism with dimples, voids, and cracks. In the wear test under 30 N load, the NAC4 composite shows 5.27, 4.72, 4.02, and 1.12 times lower wear rates than ACA, NAC1, NAC2, and NAC3 composites, respectively. As the concentration of WC particles increases, composites become more resistant to corrosion. According to the results, the polarization curve demonstrated a positive shift in E_corr from − 1.189 to − 0.656 V as the amount of WC increased, and the i_corr decreased to 4.974 × 10^–4 from 7.695 × 10^–4 A/cm².