Experimental study of microstructural and mechanical characterization of silicon-bronze copper alloy (C87600) hybrid composites reinforced with SiC-Gr particles by stir casting

Abstract

In this study, the fabrication of copper-based hybrid metal matrix composites using the stir casting process was conducted. Ceramic particles i.e. SiC and graphite are considered as reinforcements for the fabrication of hybrid composites. The microstructure of composites was analyzed using Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy. Uniform dispersion of the reinforcements throughout the matrix has been validated from the FESEM micrographs. The Vickers microhardness test was performed to examine the microhardness and its variation with respect to the reinforcement content. It was found that the microhardness value was found to be increased with an increase in reinforcement content. The tensile test of the fabricated composites was conducted using a Universal testing machine, and its variation with respect to the reinforcements is analyzed. It was observed that the tensile strength of the copper hybrid composites was enhanced with the increase in the reinforcement content. The composites with 8% SiC and 1% Gr had exhibited a maximum increase of 34% in the ultimate tensile strength as compared to the base matrix alloy. It is highly anticipated that the fabricated composites with their enhanced strength are suitable for potential applications in various structural applications.