Solidification Characteristics and Forgeability of Aluminium Alloy Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract

The solidification behavior and the forgeability of aluminum alloy (Al 413)/SiCp composites at different sections of a three-stepped composite casting at different weight fraction of SiC particles are investigated. The temperature of the cast composites during solidification has been measured by putting K-type thermocouples, from which the solidification curves were constructed. The forgeability of the as cast MMCs were also measured at different sections (having different modulus) of the casting. The results show that the forgeability of cast metal matrix composites decreases on increasing the weight fraction of SiCp. Experiments have been carried out over a range of particle weight percentage of 5–12.5 wt% in steps of 2.5 wt%. The solidification curves of aluminum alloy composites have been compared with the unreinforced Al alloy and the results reveal that significant increase in solidification time and decrease in liquidus temperature with the addition of SiCp. The curves also show that the rate of cooling and the solidification time are different at different section of the castings.