Development and Mechanical Properties of SiC Reinforced Cast and Extruded Al based Metal Matrix Composite

Abstract

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are engineered synergistic combinations of two or more materials, where the geometrically continuous constituent is a metal, in which tailored properties are achieved by systematic combinations with different constituents. Al1100-Mg alloy is found wide application for rail coaches, aircraft industry, bearing materials, piston material, transmission lines etc. But due to their low melting point and low hardness they will wear and deformed easily. The metal Aluminium cannot meet all the required properties suitable for various engineering applications. So it is necessary to develop the Aluminium based materials that could have all combinational properties satisfying all our engineering requirements. SiC can be considered as ideal reinforcements due to their high strength, high aspect ratio and thermo-mechanical properties. However, until now, the main obstacle is to obtain a homogenous dispersion of the SiC in the desired matrix. Quite a few methods have studied to help improving the dispersion of SiC in a metal matrix. The objective of this work is to reinforce Al 1100-Mg alloy with different wt% of SiC (0, 3, 6, 9 and 12) was added by melt stirring method and Extrusion is carried out (extrusion ratio of 12.25) for the same alloy and composites. Microstructural Studies using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Mechanical property like hardness and tensile properties have been investigated for cast and extruded of base alloy and composites.