Mechanical and physical properties of hybrid reinforced (Al/B4C/Ni(K)Gr) composite materials produced by hot pressing

Abstract

Abstract In this study, the mechanical and physical properties of hybrid reinforced (Al/B4C/Ni(K)Gr) metal matrix composite (MMC) materials were investigated. The MMC materials were produced using the powder metallurgy (PM) production method of hot pressing (HP). The aluminum alloy Alumix 13 was used as matrix material and boron carbide (B4C) and nickel-coated graphite (Ni(K)Gr) as reinforcement elements. The microstructural characteristics, hardness, 3-point bending strength and density values of the produced hybrid reinforced MMC materials were determined. The reinforcement element B4C was kept at constant concentration of 8 wt.-%. Four different MMC materials were produced with the addition of 0, 3, 5 and 7 wt.-% Ni(K)Gr in the B4C. From the SEM images of the MMC materials produced by the HP technique, it was observed that the reinforcement element exhibited a uniform distribution. Moreover, the particles showed an approach to each other depending on the particle size and the amount (wt.-%) of the reinforcement element. With increasing graphite content in the structure density, hardness and 3-point bending test values decreased.