{
  "abstract": "The development of aluminium matrix composites with improved structural and tribological performance has attracted considerable interest for lightweight engineering applications. This work investigates the microstructural, mechanical, tribological, and hot-deformation response of an AA8011 aluminium composite containing 5 wt.% TiB2, fabricated by ultrasonic-assisted stir casting and subsequently processed by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP). The effect of accumulated severe plastic deformation was evaluated in the as-cast condition and after 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 ECAP passes. Phase constitution and elemental characteristics were examined using X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive spectroscopy, while microstructural evolution was characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. Repeated ECAP progressively refined the aluminium matrix, improved the spatial distribution of TiB2 particles, and reduced pronounced casting-related structural discontinuities. The EBSD-measured grain size decreased from 12.45 μm in the as-cast condition to 0.54 μm after 10 passes. The resulting microstructural refinement and densification were accompanied by increases in hardness, tensile strength, compressive strength, flexural strength, impact energy, and elongation. The ultimate tensile strength increased from 182 to 266 MPa after 10 passes. Dry-sliding tests performed at loads of 10–50 N and a sliding distance of 5000 m showed reductions in wear rate of approximately 55–58% and in coefficient of friction of approximately 62–75% relative to the as-cast condition. Processing-map analysis further indicated an expansion of the stable deformation region with increasing ECAP passes. The combined results demonstrate that ultrasonic-assisted stir casting followed by multi-pass ECAP provides an effective route for tailoring the microstructure and mechanical, tribological, and hot-deformation response of AA8011−5 wt.% TiB2 composites within the investigated processing conditions.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Mechanical Engineering, CMR Engineering College, Telangana, India.",
    "Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Andhra Pradesh, India.",
    "Department of Energy Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.",
    "Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sreyas Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.",
    "Department of Mechanical Engineering, MLR Institute of Technology, Telangana, India.",
    "Department of Civil Engineering, Marri Laxman Reddy Institute of Technology and Management, Hyderabad, India.",
    "Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Science & technology, Royal University of Bhutan, Phuentsholing, Bhutan."
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "K Chinna Maddaiah"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "G B Veeresh Kumar"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Abhishek Agarwal",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0900-6383"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Balram Yelamasetti",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6760-7489"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "N Anuradha"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "K Murali"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Damcho Wangchuk",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8408-4325"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aefhz2a7d6er6.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0361373",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13716218",
  "id": "aefhz2a7d6er6",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0361373",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Aluminum"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Castings"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Chemical Elements"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Chemistry"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Classical Mechanics"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Composite Materials"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Damage Mechanics"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Deformation"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Engineering and Technology"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Friction"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Material Properties"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Materials"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Materials Physics"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Materials Science"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Mechanical Engineering"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Metallurgy"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Microstructure"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Physical Sciences"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Physics"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Porosity"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Research Article"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Tribology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2210|Aluminum Alloys Composites Properties"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Engineering and technology/Mechanical engineering/Tribology"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Engineering and technology/Mechanical engineering/Tribology/Friction"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Chemical elements/Aluminum"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Materials science/Material properties/Porosity"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Materials science/Materials physics/Microstructure"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Materials science/Materials/Composite materials"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Materials science/Metallurgy/Castings"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Materials science/Tribology"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Materials science/Tribology/Friction"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Physics/Classical mechanics/Damage mechanics/Deformation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Physics/Classical mechanics/Deformation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Physics/Materials physics/Microstructure"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7224111464",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13716218?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13716218",
  "pmid": "42949927",
  "published": "2026-10-28",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aefhz2a7d6er6.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:17Z",
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "plos:materials science",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    },
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "heading:Physics",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Experimental investigation of microstructural and performance evolution in ultrasonic-assisted stir-cast AA8011–5 wt.% TiB₂ composites during multi-pass equal-channel angular pressing",
  "title_text": "Experimental investigation of microstructural and performance evolution in ultrasonic-assisted stir-cast AA8011–5 wt.% TiB₂ composites during multi-pass equal-channel angular pressing",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-01T12:23:15Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aefhz2a7d6er6",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}