“Evaluation of microstructure and mechanical properties of Al6005 MMCs reinforced with B4C via stir casting route and optimisation through ANOVA DOE technique”

Abstract

ABSTRACT MMCs are used in variety of applications due to their distinctive characteristics, including superior stiffness, wear resistance and service temperatures, brake rotor, cylinder liners, automobile drive shaft, and connecting rod. In the present studies, Al6005-B4C composites were developed using the gravity die-casting technique to investigate mechanical properties (hardness and tensile strength). Later, microstructural characterisation is conducted using an optical microscope. Also, fracture surface analysis was carried out using SEM. The optical micrographs revealed that Al6005 alloy has a fine-grained, uniform microstructure and Al6005-B4C MMCs. Also, SEM fractographs of Al6005 displayed ductile fracture due to more dimples, and Al6005-B4C MMCs exhibited brittle fracture. From the hardness and tensile test results, it is noticed that the addition of B4C enhances the mechanical properties of Al6005-B4C MMCs. Overall, it is observed that the hardness and strength value steadily increase up to 4% B4C as the reinforcement percentage grows and then somewhat decrease when the B4C addition is improved to 6%. The accumulation of particles in the matrix may be the cause. The regression analysis results confirm that the coefficient of determination was achieved with an 86% of confidence interval, and the P-values is less than 0.05 for all the combination considered.