Abstract
Metal foams are a unique material that is gaining attraction in a variety of industries due to their multifunctional features. This work focuses on understanding the tribological behavior of aluminum-based close-cell metal foams where Zn is added as reinforcement in different weight percentages (0, 0.5, and 1 wt.%). Dry sliding wear tests are performed at varying loads (5, 10, 15, and 20 N) and varying sliding distances (1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 m) conditions. During the tests, two limiting conditions are taken into consideration: the sliding speed of the rotating disc and its track diameter, which are set at 2.5 m s^–1 and 10 cm, respectively. The result reveals that specific wear rate (SWR) is a function of porosity, which increases with an increase in porosity. It was discovered that wear occurs when asperities of varying hardness come into contact at lower stress levels. However, at greater load values, the mechanism shifts from abrasion to plastic flow and delamination.

Key words
metal foam, specific wear rate (SWR), SEM

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