1068-1302/19/0910-0613  2019 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 613 Powder Metallurgy and Metal Ceramics, Vol. 57, Nos. 9-10, January, 2019 (Russian Original Vol. 57, Nos. 9-10, Sept.-Oct., 2018) POWDER METALLURGY INDUSTRY AND MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS HARDNESS AND WEAR BEHAVIOURS OF Al MATRIX COMPOSITES AND HYBRID COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH B 4 C AND SiC Yahya Hişman Çelik 1,3 and Erol Kilickap 2 UDC 539.531;620.178.1 The conversion into the desired shape of the metal powders using Powder Metallurgy (PM) method enables economically mass productions. This case allows producing parts with complex and high dimensional accuracy with no machining. In this study the composites and hybrid composites with Al matrix were produced using PM method with different ratios B 4 C and SiC. Microhardness and wear experiments of the produced composites were investigated. Wear experiments were performed at a constant speed of 0.5 m/s, application loads of 5, 10 and 15 N and sliding distances of 250, 500, and 750 m. Then, SEM images of composites and hybrid composites were captured. The increase of the reinforcement ratio in the composites contributed to the increase of the hardness. The highest hardness value was computed as 58.7 HV from 16% B 4 C reinforced composite. In addition, the increase in the reinforcement ratio contributed to the increase of the wear resistance. The increase in the load and sliding distance also increased the wear. The minimum weight loss was calculated as 18 mg from 5 N load, 250 m sliding distance and 16% SiC reinforced composite. Keywords: wear, hybrid, composite, hardness, PM. INTRODUCTION Powder metallurgy (PM) has become an important production method for producing small size and complex shaped metal parts since it provides high productivity in the production of fine-grained and homogeneous parts. Metallic, ceramic and composite parts produced with this method are easily obtained with no machining. In this respect, PM method has increased its use in such areas as automotive and aviation [1, 2]. The materials of the parts produced by PM method vary according to the usage place. In particular, Al has taken its place in production using PM method due to such properties as low density, melting temperature and cost, as well as easy processing by conventional methods. However, Al and its alloys do not provide sufficient hardness, wear and tear resistance, and mechanical properties of the material produced. This situation is the biggest obstacle 1 Batman University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Batman, Turkey. 2 Dicle University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Diyarbakir, Turkey. 3 To whom correspondence should be addressed; e-mail: yahyahisman.celik@batman.edu.tr. Published in Poroshkova Metallurgiya, Vol. 57, Nos. 9–10 (523), pp. 147–158, 2018. Original article submitted August 7, 2017. DOI 10.1007/s11106-019-00023-w