Processing and Microstructural Characterization of Cermet-Reinforced Aluminium Matrix Composite by Solidification Process

Abstract

The present work deals with the preparation of the aluminium matrix composite using a ceramic and metallic combination as reinforcements and using liquid metallurgy route of solidification process. The desired properties of composites have been influenced by the solidification behaviour of the cast metal matrix composites, which has been imposed to study the solidification behaviour of metal matrix at different weight fraction of reinforcement particulates. Al7075 was used as matrix and tungsten carbide, and cobalt particulates were used as reinforcements. During the preparation, an addition of magnesium was used to increase the wettability of the particulates during the mixing. XRD/EDX/SEM characterizations of the prepared composites were conducted, where a fairly uniform distribution of the reinforced particulates was found over the matrix.