Effect of Tio 2 particles on the mechanical, bonding properties and microstructural evolution of AA1060/Tio 2 composites fabricated by WARB

Abstract

Reinforced aluminum alloy base composites have become increasingly popular for engineering applications, since they usually possess several desirable properties. Recently, Warm Accumulative Roll Bonding (WARB) process has been used as a new novel process to fabricate particle reinforced metal matrix composites. In the present study, Tio2 particles are used as reinforcement in aluminum metal matrix composites fabricated through warm accumulative roll bonding process. Firstly, the raw aluminum alloy 1060 strips with Tio2 as reinforcement particle were roll bonded to four accumulative rolling cycles by preheating for 5 min at 300°C before each cycle. The mechanical and bonding properties of composites have been studied versus different volume contents of Tio2 particles by tensile test, peeling test and vickers micro-hardness test. Moreover, the fracture surface and peeling surface of samples after the tensile test and peeling test have been studied versus different amount of Tio2 volume contents by scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the strength and the average vickers micro-hardness of composites improved by increasing the volume content of Tio2 particles and the amount of their elongation and bonding strength decreased significantly.