Dry Sliding Wear Behavior and Microstructural Characterization of Chromium-Coated Al10Cu Alloy

Aluminum–copper alloys have garnered significant attention in modern engineering applications due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and thermal conductivity properties. This study investigates the tribological performance optimization of Al10Cu alloys through chromium coating deposition, focusing on coefficient of friction and mass wear analysis in dry sliding conditions. Cr-coated Al10Cu alloys were fabricated through powder metallurgy and electrodeposition techniques, with comprehensive tribological characterization performed using scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, microhardness measurements, and dry sliding wear testing. The chromium coating exhibited exceptional surface hardness of 720.9 HV, representing a remarkable 15-fold improvement over the uncoated Al10Cu matrix hardness. Tribological evaluation demonstrated outstanding wear resistance with the Cr-coated Al10Cu system achieving only 0.10 mg mass loss compared to 0.55 mg for the uncoated alloy, representing an exceptional 81.8% reduction in material removal. Despite a nominal increase in the coefficient of friction from 0.618 to 0.733, the chromium coating effectively transformed the wear mechanism from severe material removal to a controlled mild wear regime. The results establish the Cr-coated Al10Cu system as a highly effective solution for applications requiring extended operational lifespans under dry sliding conditions.