Abstract
Nanocrystalline ZrO2 with particle size of about 38 nm was directly synthesized by sol-gel auto-combustion method. The overall process involved three steps: formation of homogeneous sol at 50-55C; formation of dried gel at 110C, and combustion of the dried gel at 400C. Experiments revealed that ZrO2 dried gel derived from glycine (Fuel) and nitrate sol exhibited self propagating combustion at 400C that it was ignited in air. The auto-combustion was considered as a heatinduced exothermic oxidation-reduction reaction between nitrate ions and carboxyl group. After auto-combustion, products were calcined at 650C. ZrO2 nano particle were incorporated into the A356 aluminum alloy by a mechanical stirred at 850C and after that, cylindrical specimens were cast. After preparing the samples, mechanical properties were measured. The results of microstructure, compression and hardness tests indicated that addition of ZrO2 nano particulates to aluminum matrix composites improved the mechanical properties. Also, Based on experiments, it was revealed that the presence of ZrO2 reinforcement led to significant improvement in hardness and compressive strength.
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