A review on the production of metal matrix composites through stir casting – Furnace design, properties, challenges, and research opportunities

Composites are light in weight when compared to woods and metals. It consists of two or more distinct phases such as matrix phase and a dispersed phase. Metal matrix composites are expensive and limitations in achieving stiffness and toughness for materials to overcome these limitations, hybrid metal matrix composites (HMMC’s) are fabricated and designed. In recent years hybrid metal matrix composites (HMMC’s) are plays a vital role especially in material science in the field of aerospace, marine, transportation, military and structural applications. Aluminium (Al) based metal matrix hybrid composites are used extensively in the field of automotive industries due to its low density and high strength-to-weight ratio. In the present study, aluminium A356 alloy with different weight fractions (0, 5, 7.5, 10 and 12.5%) of RHA and Fly ash reinforced hybrid composites are fabricated by using double stir casting technique. Determination the effect of the addition of organic (RHA) and in-organic (Fly Ash) reinforcement with aluminium A356 alloy on the physical and mechanical properties such as hardness, density and porosity were studied. FE-SEM, XRD, and EDS were analysed for A356 alloy/RHA-Fly Ash hybrid composite. The size distribution of the matrix alloy and reinforcement particles was measured using particle size. A significant improvement in the mechanical property was observed when adding the reinforcement with as-cast aluminium matrix alloy.

Fabrication and Characterization of Organic and In-Organic Reinforced A356 Aluminium Matrix Hybrid Composite by Improved Double-Stir Casting

Effects of particle size and surface modification of SiC on the wear behavior of high volume fraction Al/SiCp composites

Higher tool wear and inferior surface quality of the specimens during machining restrict metal matrix composites’ application in many areas in spite of their excellent properties. The researches in...

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Tool wear and surface quality of metal matrix composites due to machining: A review

Vortex-free stir casting of Al-1.5 wt% Si-SiC composite

Study of Mechanical Properties & Residual Stresses on Post Wear Samples of A356-SiC Metal Matrix Composites☆

Aluminum (A356)-SiC metal matrix composites were fabricated by using liquid metallurgy route. To improve the interfacial bonding between the Al and SiC, an attempt has been made to coat the SiC particles with Ni and Cu. Electroless process was used for coating the reinforced particle. This surface modification due to electroless coating on SiC particles was confirmed with SEM/ EDS analysis. Processing parameters such as melt temperature, stirring speed, stirring time, and preheating temperature were optimized. SiC content in Al-SiC MMC were taken from 5 to 15% and effect of Ni and Cu coating was studied using hardness measurements. Influence of coated SiC particles in Al-SiC showed significant improvement in hardness values. Moreover, micro structural examination clearly demonstrated that Cu coating on SiC particles resulted in good metallurgical boding as compared to SiC particles with Ni coating. As a result, the hardness values of Al-SiC (Cu) exhibited better hardness values as compared to Al-SiC (Ni) MMCs. As expected, high SiC content in types of Al-SiC MMCs showed high hardness values as compared to low SiC content and base alloy. The present investigation suggests that Cu coating on SiC particles are more suitable as compared to Ni coating on SiC particles to synthesis Al-SiC MMCs.

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P. Shrishail

Papers

Study of Mechanical Properties & Residual Stresses on Post Wear Samples of A356-SiC Metal Matrix Composites☆

Surface Modification of SiC Reinforcements & its Effects on Mechanical Properties of Aluminium Based MMC