Aluminum alloys are widely used in engineered components because of their excellent strength-to-weight ratio. Their use in applications requiring wear resistance is more limited. One of the main limitations of aluminum alloys is the poor tribological behavior mainly due to their relatively low hardness, which favors large plastic deformation under sliding conditions. This article discusses the classes and mechanisms of wear in aluminum-silicon alloys, aluminum-tin bearing alloys, and aluminum-matrix composites; describes the effect of material-related parameters on wear behavior of these alloys; and reviews their applications in a variety of tribological applications in the automotive industry ranging from aluminum-tin alloys for plain bearings to alloys with hard anodizing for machine elements. Methods to improve wear resistance and alloy hardness are also discussed.

The aluminum-tin alloys 850.0, 851.0, 852.0, and 853.0 are specialized compositions displaying excellent bearing characteristics under moderate loads and with effective lubrication. This datasheet provides information on key alloy metallurgy, fabrication characteristics, processing effects on physical and mechanical properties, and application characteristics of these alloys. Permanent-mold aluminum casting rotating-beam fatigue curves for 850.0-T101, 850.0-T5, and 852.0-T5 alloys are also presented.

Aluminum casting alloys are the most versatile of all common foundry alloys and generally have the highest castability ratings. This article discusses the designation and classification of aluminum casting alloys based on their composition and the factors influencing alloy selection. Alloys discussed include rotor alloys, commercial duralumin alloys, premium casting alloys, piston and elevated-temperature alloys, general-purpose alloys, magnesium alloys, aluminum-zinc-magnesium alloys, and bearing alloys. Six basic types of aluminum alloys developed for casting include aluminum-copper, aluminum-copper-silicon, aluminum-silicon, aluminum-magnesium, aluminum-zinc-magnesium, and aluminum-tin. The article also describes the main casting processes for aluminum alloys, which include die casting, permanent mold casting, sand casting (green sand and dry sand), plaster casting, and investment casting. In addition, the article discusses factors affecting the mechanical and physical properties, microstructural features that affect mechanical properties, the effects of alloying, and major applications of aluminum casting alloys.