Mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of monolayer and bilayer graded Al/SiC/rice husk ash (RHA) composite

Abstract

The mechanical, electrical and thermal properties as well as thermal expansion of Al/SiC/RHA (rice husk ash) monolayer and bilayer composite have been studied using the Taguchi method and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The parameter that most significantly affects the modulus of elasticity of Al/SiC/RHA bilayer composites is processing time, with contribution percentages of 68 and 27% calculated from stress-strain graphs and ultrasonic method, respectively. However, the factor which mostly affects bending strength, CTE value and electrical resistivity of composites is process temperature with contribution percentages of 32, 28, and 22%, respectively. The projected values for modulus of elasticity (170 GPa), bending strength (369 MPa), CTE (8.9 × 10−6/°C) and electrical resistivity (0.0019 Ω m) of Al/SiC/RHA composites are in excellent agreement with those obtained in the verification tests under the optimal conditions according to ANOVA.