Abstract
In present work, friction stir processing (FSP) is utilized for fabrication of aluminium based metal matrix surface composites by incorporating nano-SiC particles. The effects of multi-pass FSP and cooling environment on microstructural evolution and mechanical properties are investigated in detail. Higher FSP passes produce more uniformly distributed surface composites. Cooling environment during FSP affects the peak temperature, grain refinement, post processing cooling time and mechanical properties. Results reflected that five pass underwater friction stir processed surface composites with water temperature below the ambient condition (at 10 degree Celsius) exhibit highest microhardness of 181 HV and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 401 MPa as compared to base metal of microhardness of 85 HV, UTS of 321 MPa and surface composite of same pass processed with ambient conditions having microhardness of 150 HV and UTS of 370 MPa. Thus, it can be deducted that cooling environment has significant effect on microstructural changes and mechanical properties of fabricated surface composites. The results of mechanical properties of this study strongly corroborates with the microstructural evolution. The analysis of microstructural changes and SiC particles dispersion was studied using optical microscopy and FESEM respectively.
Published Version
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