Effect of addition of SiC particles on the Microstructure and Hardness of Al-SiC composite

Anilkumar S Kallimani,N Chikkanna,Saleemsab Doddamani,Hareesha G

doi:10.30544/590

Abstract

This work aims to investigate the effect of the addition of silicon carbide particles on the microstructure and the hardness of the Al-SiC metal matrix composites. The said composite is prepared using the stir casting technique for different weight percentages of the SiC particles. The higher composition of the reinforcement causes the clustering of the particles in the matrix. Thus, research has to be carried out on the aluminum-silicon carbide composites with the reinforcement 3wt%, 6wt%, 9wt%, and 12wt% of SiC particles to obtain the optimized composition. In order to study the microstructure and the reinforcement distribution in the matrix, a scanning electron microscope is utilized. The hardness testing has been carried out using the Vickers’ indentation technique for the as-cast and age hardening conditions. From the microstructural study, it is observed that the microstructure of the said composite exhibits the uniform distribution of the reinforcement. The EDX results show the presence of the reinforcing elements in the Al-SiC composite. From the results obtained from the hardness testing, it is observed that the presence of the carbide element in the composite increases the hardness of the Al-SiC particulate composites.

Highlights

Metal matrix composites consist of a matrix, an alloy or a metal, and a reinforcement such as the particles, short fiber or whisker, and/or long fiber.Metall
The flow transitions will certainly influence the distribution of the silicon carbide particles in the molten aluminum
The lifting of the SiC particles takes place in the molten aluminum and the prevention of particle settling in the matrix are due to the momentum transfer and the outspread flow of the melt

Summary

Introduction

Metal matrix composites consist of a matrix, an alloy or a metal, and a reinforcement such as the particles, short fiber or whisker, and/or long fiber. Or particle reinforced MMCs have turned out to be extremely mainstream since they are more affordable, less expensive to fabricate than long fiber fortified composite, and it generally has isotropic properties contrasted with fiber reinforced composite [1,2], whereas the properties of aligned fiber reinforcement composites are highly anisotropic. Some common reinforcements for aluminum matrices are SiC, Al2O3, B4C, and graphite

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