In this study, the aluminum-nickel surface composite was produced on the surface of AA2024-O using friction stir process (FSP). To produce the surface composite, two kinds of powders were used: the pure nickel powder and the activated mixed aluminum - nickel powder with atomic ratio of 1:1 which had been ball milled for 5 hours with rotational speed of 360 rpm. To apply the powder to the surface, some holes with the diameter of 3 mm and the depth of 2 mm were created on the middle of the sample; the distance between the centers of the holes was 4 mm. Then, the powder was poured into the holes and the holes were closed by using the tool without pin. Next, a tool was used to perform the proce the shoulder diameter of this tool was 18 mm and the diameter and the height of its thread pin was 5 mm and 2.5 mm, respectively. The process was done with the rotational speed of 1250 rpm and the travel speed of 62, 44, 32, and 24 mm/min in four sequential passes; the angle between the tool and the surface of the sample was 3 degrees. The stir zone temperature was measured with the thermocouple Type k. The phase changes and the produced intermetallic compounds were studied by using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. To show how the particles are distributed, the optical microscope and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used. The microstructure of the surface composite was studied by the optical microscopy. The hardness of the surface composite was measured using a micro-Vickers hardness tester. The resistance wear and the tribological behavior of the samples were examined by the reciprocating wear tester. The worn surfaces and the worn debris were collected and evaluated using the SEM. The maximum temperature in the first pass for the maximum and the minimum travel speed was obtained 335 and 455 degrees Celsius, respectively. The maximum and the interpass temperature increased in next passes. The grain size in the stir zone decreased because of performing FSP. The minimum grain size was achieved after processing with the maximum travel speed and the amount of decrease with respect to the base metal was about 80%. The results of XRD shows that in the composite produced with the pure nickel powder, Al 3 Ni and in the one produced with the activated powder, Al 3 Ni and Al 3 Ni 2 exist. After performing FSP, the measured hardness value of all samples was 2.2 to 2.7 times of the base metal. Also, the wear resistance of them had improved compare to the base metal. The best value of wear resistance obtained for those two samples which had been processed using activated powder with travel speed of 32 and 44 mm/min (compare to AA2024-T351 and the other processed samples). The dominant wear mechanism in the base metal was adhesive wear which was changed to delamination wear after processing. At the beginning of performing wear test for the produced composites, the mechanism of the material removal of composites surface was adhesive wear and then it changed to delamination wear. Key words: Friction stir proce Al-Ni composite; Tribology; Intermetallic compounds