Hybrid Aluminium Matrix Composites Research Articles

Influence of B4C and ZrB2 reinforcements on microstructural, mechanical and wear behaviour of AA 2014 aluminium matrix hybrid composites

Considering their affordability and high strength-to-weight ratio, lightweight aluminium alloys are the subject of intensive research aimed at improving their properties for use in the aerospace industry. This research effort aims to develop novel hybrid composites based on AA 2014 alloy through the use of liquid metallurgy stir casting to reinforce dual ceramic particles of Zirconium Diboride (ZrB2) and Boron Carbide (B4C). The weight percentage (wt%) of ZrB2 was varied (0, 5, 10, and 15), while a constant 5 wt% of B4C was maintained during this fabrication. The as-cast samples have been assessed using an Optical Microscope (OM) and a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The properties such as hardness, tensile strength, and wear characteristics of stir cast specimens were assessed to examine the impact of varying weight percentages of reinforcements in AA 2014 alloy. In particular, dry sliding wear behaviour was evaluated considering varied loads using a pin-on-disc tribotester. As the weight % of ZrB2 grew and B4C was incorporated, hybrid composites showed higher hardness, tensile strength, and wear resistance. Notably, the incorporation of a cumulative reinforcement consisting of 15 wt% ZrB2 and 5 wt% B4C resulted in a significant 31.86% increase in hardness and a 44.1% increase in tensile strength compared to AA 2014 alloy. In addition, it has been detected that wear resistance of hybrid composite pin (containing 20 wt% cumulative reinforcement) is higher than that of other stir cast wear test pins during the whole range of applied loads. Fractured surfaces of tensile specimens showed ductile fracture in the AA 2014 matrix and mixed mode for hybrid composites. Worn surfaces obtained employing higher applied load indicated abrasive wear with little plastic deformation for hybrid composites and dominant adhesive wear for matrix alloy. Hence, the superior mechanical and tribological performance of hybrid composites can be attributed to dual reinforcement particles being dispersed well and the effective transmission of load at this specific composition.

Fabrication Methods of Aluminium Metal Matrix Composite: A State of Review

Aluminium's use in aerospace, marine and automobiles has grown significantly due to its lightweight nature, enhancing fuel efficiency and overall performance. Its corrosion resistance also contributes to longevity, reducing maintenance costs. However, its low hardness, low tensile strength and poor tribological behaviour limit its usage. These demerits can be overcomed by adding specific reinforcement to enrich its properties. As there are two types of fabrication methods for fabrication of MMCs such as Solid state processing and liquid state processing, the above fabrication techniques result in varying mechanical property, tribological property and production cost. So far from the available literature we’ve found that the liquid state processing is more popular than solid-state processing due to the better dispersion of the reinforcement particles in the matrix materials. The Addition of nanoparticles has been found to be essential to provide requisite strength and hardness to these composites. Overall, study concludes that the hybrid aluminium matrix composites will ensure to serve as an alternative for the unreinforced Al-alloys and ceramic reinforced composites in various automotive applications requiring high strength-to-weight ratio, low cost and superior wear resistance.

Tribological and Structural Effects of Titanium Carbide and Hexagonal Boron Nitride Reinforcement on Aluminum Matrix Hybrid Composites

AbstractThis research involves the synthesis of a hybrid composite by adding titanium carbide (TiC) and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) powders in certain weight ratios (2.5–5%) to pure aluminum (Al) powder. When previous studies were examined, it was seen that TiC and hBN powders were added separately to Al matrix powders; however, a hybrid composite was not produced as in this study. The obtained hybrid composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Microstructure, hardness and wear tests were carried out under 3 different loads (10 N, 20 N and 30 N) and dry conditions. Weight loss and coefficient of friction measurements were obtained for each hybrid composite during the wear tests. The TiC–hBN-reinforced specimen exhibited a significantly higher hardness value of 37.08% compared to the pure Al composite. It was also found that the synthesized Al–TiC–hBN hybrid composite exhibited a 59% reduction in the wear loss value for 10 N load, 30% for 20 N load and 60% for 30 N load compared to the pure Al sample. It is believed that the hybrid composites produced in this study have the ability to compete with Al matrix materials and exhibit the potential for longer durability and cost reduction in industries that use the production of aluminum parts.

Analyzing the dimensional errors in wire electric discharge machining of squeeze casted Al2024/Al2O3/W composite using cryogenic treated electrodes

Distinctive attributes of hybrid aluminum matrix composites enhance their industrial applications; however, reinforcement particulates complicate their machining, specifically when intricate profiles with high precision are involved due to their intended applications. This study investigates the dimensional accuracy of squeeze casted Al2024/Al2O3/W hybrid composite during wire electric discharge machining. A cone-shaped convoluted profile has been opted for machining to address the industrial needs, therefore, dimensional deviation in length, vertex angle and curvature radius of specimens have been assessed. The influence of cryogenic treatment of wire electrodes has been analyzed to control dimensional deviation in machining. Besides this, the influence of four machining variables including pulse duration, wire feed rate, wire runoff speed and wire tension on the dimensions deviations has also been investigated. The findings indicate that the pulse duration and wire tension notably influence the length error and curvature radius error. Additionally, the pulse duration and wire feed rate have been found to significantly impact the vertex angle error. The non-treated wire creates more significant craters and macro voids on the machined surface due to uneven sparking. In contrast, due to its enhanced electrical properties, the cryogenic-treated wire exhibits a comparatively refined microstructure on the machined surface, displaying fewer micro-voids and shallow craters. Comparative analysis shows that cryogenically treated wire offers 65.5 %, 35.3 % and 33.4 % reduction in length error, vertex angle error and curvature radius error than non-treated wire. The findings of this study can be helpful for the manufacturing industry for precision machining of intricate geometries.

The influence of MoS2 and SiC reinforcement on enhancing the tribological and hardness of aluminium matrix (Al6061-T6) hybrid composites using Taguchi’s method

The influence of MoS2 and SiC reinforcement on enhancing the tribological and hardness of aluminium matrix (Al6061-T6) hybrid composites using Taguchi’s method

Influence of Green Plantain Peel Ash and Alumina Reinforcement on the Physio-Mechanical Properties of Aluminium Matrix Hybrid Composites

Hybrid composites are gaining increasing interest in the development of aluminium metal matrix (AMCs) for various industrial applications owing to their ability to integrate multiple functionalities within a single material matrix with enhanced physio-mechanical properties as opposed to single-fibre reinforced composites. Green plantain peel ash (GPPA) is an agricultural waste with potential for reinforcement purposes. However, no study has investigated GPPA natural filler as a reinforcement for AMCs. This study, therefore, aims at assessing the influence of variations in GPPA particles and alumina as reinforcements in the fabrication of hybrid composites using Al-Mg-Si alloy as a matrix. This study also reassessed the chemical composition of the GPPA particles and investigated their mechanical properties. However, enhanced mechanical properties, including hardness, tensile strength, and ductility, were observed at varying weight ratios. Results obtained in this study suggest a promising potential application of GPPA particulates as complementing reinforcements in the production of lightweight, strong, and high-performance AMCs well-suited for engineering, aerospace, construction, and packaging applications.

Tribological and Mechanical Properties of Al 6061/SiC/ GO Hybrid Composites Produced with Stir Casting

A constant prerequisite for technological advancement is the improvement of composite materials’ mechanical properties. In this study, stir casting was used to create hybrid Aluminium Matrix Composites (AMC). To enhance the mechanical properties, silicon carbide and graphite were used as reinforcement. AMC are made by adding different volume fractions of SiC (3%, 6%, 9% and 12%), whereas composites use a fixed volume fraction of graphite (5%). Mechanical Properties like Hardness, Tensile and wear characteristics of the manufactured AMC samples were evaluated. Under various loads 10N-40N and sliding velocities 0.6m/s-2.0 m/s the wear rate was calculated. The mechanical characteristics of manufactured AMCs are compared with Al 6061 alloy. From the experimental results, the addition of silicon carbide and graphite particles improve the mechanical characteristics. The wear rate increases with increase in applied load. However, sliding velocity surges up to 1.8 m/s before sharply declining.

Wear behaviour of hybrid (boron carbide-graphite) aluminium matrix composites under high temperature

Aluminium MMCs are among the many metal composites and are regarded as progressive engineering materials in numerous industries because of their advantages compared to standard aluminium alloy. Among the reinforcements in MMCs, ceramic particles are preferred for their superior wear resistance, temperature resistance, and adhesion to their matrix, making them a popular choice. This research work has been carried out to synthesise ceramic particle-reinforced aluminium metal matrix composites and to evaluate their tribological properties at different temperatures (50–300℃). Al2618 alloy was selected as the matrix, and boron carbide (B4C) and graphite (Gr) were selected as reinforcements. Hybrid composites are prepared through stir casting by varying the wt.% of B4C and Gr reinforcement particles with a ratio of 3:2. Microstructural observation shows the uniform distribution of B4C and Gr particles throughout the matrix without any agglomeration, and it also exhibits excellent scanning electron microscope (SEM). X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) was performed to verify the presence of different constituents in the developed material. Samples S4 (Al 2618 + 12 wt.% B4C—8 wt.% Gr) and S5 (Al 2618 + 15 wt.% B4C—10 wt.% Gr) exhibit enhanced wear resistance (16.45%) due to the incorporation of a higher quantity of Gr solid lubricants alongside B4C within the temperature range of 50 to 300℃. The thickness and stability of the glazed layer exhibited adequate resistance to wear.

Fabrication of hybrid aluminum matrix composites and prediction of physical characteristics using artificial network

This study looks at how to make LM16 aluminum alloy-based Hybrid Aluminum matrix composites and how to forecast their physical properties (HAMC). The goal of this research is to forecast the Brinell hardness number (BHN) and density of Hybrid Aluminum matrix composites (HAMC). The Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm of a multiple-input multiple-output artificial neural network is used to make predictions (ANN). The HAMC with Nickel coated Graphite (Ni-Gr) and Silicon Carbide reinforcement into the LM16 aluminum alloy is prepared using the stir casting technique considering the brake lining applications. The L9 orthogonal array was chosen for testing to see how process parameters such Nickel coated Graphite (Ni-Gr) reinforcement, Silicon-Carbide (SiC) reinforcement, stirring speed, and stirring time affect the results. The Brinell hardness number (BHN) and density of the material are the output parameters investigated. The determination coefficient (R2) and mean square error were used to assess the ANN's prediction performance (MSE). The average R2 and MSE of 0.99 and 0.0041, respectively, suggest that the ANN fit the experimental experimental response variable values effectively. The correlation coefficient (R) of 0.99721 also supports the findings.

Study of tribological characteristics of hybrid aluminium matrix composite using design of experiment

The tribological performance of Alumina and Molybdenum di Sulphide (MoS2) reinforced hybrid Aluminium matrix composites of are carried out in this study. Lubrication is needed mostly during the usage of metal-based alloys or composites to reduce friction. Aluminium composites with self-lubrication property play a major in that situation to have a better tribological performance. These hybrid Aluminium matrix composites can be manufactured by incorporating materials such as MolybdenumdiSulphide (MoS2). In this current research, constant weight fraction of alumina hybridized with various weight percentages of MoS2 and Aluminium matrix compositesare produced individually through stir casting process. The wear rate of the composites was evaluated through Pin on Disc apparatus considering the applied load, sliding distance and weight percentage of MoS2. L9 (OA) Taguchi’s approach is employed in experimenting were designed by to analyze using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and response values. Result shows that 6 wt. % of alumina and MoS2 Aluminium alloy hybrid composites of possessed better tribological characteristics than all other composite configurations.

Experimentation and characterization of stir casted bio mesquite wood ash (M.W.A.) reinforced aluminium (Al6061 T6) matrix hybrid composites

ABSTRACT This research paper has discussed the determination of mechanical, wear, and corrosion properties of the stir cast aluminium 6061 (T6) hybrid matrix composites. The reinforcements such as aluminium oxide (Al2O3), mesquite wood ash (MWA), and graphite (C) were incorporated with the Al6061 alloy and stir casted. The experimental test data has revealed that the reinforced samples have gained decent tensile strength and impact strength due to the inclusion of rigid, brittle reinforcements. Comparing the bare Al alloy, compressive strength and microhardness of sample 1 and sample 2 was maximum due to the majority of hard structured Al2O3 and MWA powder. From the wear analysis, it was inferred that the presence of maximum proportions of Al2O3 with self-lubricating graphite powder has promoted better wear resistance for the sample 1. The Tafel plot has concluded that reinforcement of M.W.A. and graphite in sample 4 has gained higher corrosion resistance with minimum current density. Finally, the introduction of bio-mesquite wood ash powder along with synthetic reinforcements has tailored the wear and corrosion properties for the composites with decent improvement in mechanical properties.

The effect of milling time, and sintering temperature and time on the microstructure-property relationship of aluminium-matrix hybrid composites

The present study investigates the effect of milling time, and sintering temperature and time on the microstructure and properties of aluminium matrix hybrid composites (AMHCs). The AMHCs containing aluminium nitride (AlN) and yttrium tungstate (Y2W3O12) have been fabricated by powder metallurgy route. The powder mixtures were subjected to milling for different times, i.e., 0.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 & 14 h followed by compaction and sintering in a temperature range of 550–650 °C for different times, e.g., 1, 1.5 and 2 h. The smallest crystallite size along with the homogeneous distribution of reinforcements is observed at 10 h of milling time. The microstructure and corresponding properties, i.e., relative density, hardness and compressive strength are influenced by milling time, sintering temperature and sintering time. The optimised processing parameters for getting the maximum values of relative density, hardness, and compressive strength of the AMHCs are found to be 10 h of milling time, 600 °C of sintering temperature, and 1 h of sintering time.

Mechanical and microstructural behavior of industrial spent catalyst waste and boron carbide reinforced aluminum matrix composites

The concept of reuse and recycling has undergone sustained development in industries to prevent the exhaustion of naturally available resources. The current study is about reusing spent catalyst waste from petroleum refining industries as reinforcement in aluminum composite materials. This work utilized the stir casting method to create nano B4C/waste spent catalyst/Al matrix composites by varying the B4C from 0.5 to 2.0 wt% and maintaining the constant 10 wt% of spent catalyst waste, respectively. Furthermore, the impact of nano B4C and spent catalyst waste on the mechanical and microstructure behavior of aluminum matrix hybrid composites were studied. The compressive strength, hardness, and tensile strength of the aluminum composites obtained with different percentages of nano B4C and spent catalyst waste were enhanced significantly. The increase in tensile strength mainly due to the effect of the Orowan strengthening mechanism and thermal stresses caused by the difference in the CTE of aluminum matrix and reinforcement. The effective mechanical behavior was obtained with 1.5 wt% B4C and 10 wt% spent catalyst waste with massive improvements in hardness (65.62%), compressive (31.81%), and tensile strength (48.23%), respectively, compared to base pure aluminum.

Corrosion behaviour of SiC and Al2O3 reinforced Al 7075 hybrid aluminium matrix composites by weight loss and electrochemical methods

The corrosion study of Al 7075 hybrid metal matrix composites reinforced with equal weight percents (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10) of silicon carbide and aluminium oxide is investigated in the present work by weight loss and electrochemical methods. In this study, composite specimens prepared by the squeeze casting technique were analyzed at room temperature to estimate the rate of corrosion in a 3.5% NaCl solution for various intervals using the weight loss method. As a consequence, a hybrid Al7075 composite reinforced with 10% SiC and 10% Al2O3 had a lower corrosion rate of 0.9997 mmpy than pure Al7075, which had a maximum corrosion rate of 3.4481 mmpy. The corrosion rate of hybrid composites is determined by the tafel polarization method and the electrochemical impedance spectroscopic method. These experiments showed that the corrosion rate of the hybrid metal matrix composite Al7075 + 10% SiC +10% Al2O3 was 0.630 mmpy less than that of the monolithic 7075 alloy. The corrosion morphology behaviour of the Al 7075 and their hybrid composite samples is observed by SEM. The SEM micrographs implied that SiC and Al2O3 reinforcements with the matrix alloy produced good interfacial and intermetallic bonding and hence decreased the corrosion rate.

Effect of Heat Treatment on Sliding Wear Resistance of Hybrid Aluminum Matrix Composite

Composite materials with aluminum as matrix material have a wider amplitude of large-scale applications in engineering. Some salient features of aluminum matrix composites are, low density, low thermal coefficient of performance and low weight and high strength. Among the various series of aluminum alloy, Al6061 have been widely used by researchers due to its outstanding properties particularly as they are heat treatable. Aluminum 6061 alloys have been reinforced with various particulate reinforcements such as silicon carbide, and graphite to study their friction and wear resistance properties. Adding silicon carbide particulate reinforcement improves the sliding wear resistance of composite material. However, it makes the material brittle and hard resulting in machining difficulties and rough surface finish. On the other hand, it has been found from the literature survey that the addition of graphite particulate reinforcement increases ductility and sliding wear resistance. In this context, the present article focuses on developing hybrid aluminum matrix composites by incorporating both graphite and silicon carbide. Heat treatment has been carried out to further enhance the wear resistance and strength of the composites. Vortex-stir casting was successfully utilized to fabricate Al6061-SiC-Gr hybrid composites. There was excellent bonding between the matrix and reinforcement materials as revealed by the microstructure study. The sliding wear resistance of the Al6061-SiC composite was higher than the base matrix material. Heat treatment increases the sliding wear resistance of the composite. Ice quenching results in maximum improvement. Increased content of graphite increases the sliding wear resistance of Al6061-SiC composite. Further heat treatment increases the sliding wear resistance of the hybrid composites with ice quenching resulting in maximum improvement.

Tribological characteristics of LM13 alloy based ilmenite-boron carbide reinforced hybrid composites for brake drum applications

Aluminium matrix hybrid composites reinforced with a combination of naturally occurring ilmenite mineral particles (FeTiO3) and synthetically processed boron carbide ceramic particles (B4C) were processed using stir casting route. Reinforcement loading was varied between 0 and 15 wt. percentage (wt.%). For each loading, the two type of fillers were mixed in three wt.% ratio of 1:3, 1:1, and 3:1. Particle size range for both fillers was 106–125 μm. Operating temperature, applied load, and sliding distance were in the range of 25–300 °C, 9.8−49.0 N, and 0−3000 m respectively. Optical and scanning electron micrographs showed nearly uniform distribution of reinforced particles in the matrix. Grain size reduction and morphological changes in the constituent phases of matrix material were noted. Pin-on-disc wear set-up was used to evaluate the wear behaviour of composites (ASTM G99 standard). With increase in operating temperature, the wear rate increased. A sharp rise in wear rate was observed beyond 200 °C. 15HA-31 composite (loading: 15 wt.%; B4C to Ilmenite weight ratio: 3:1) showed maximum improvement in wear rate at all the operating temperatures exhibiting 52−71% reduction in maximum wear rate over the reference sample. Ilmenite particles reduced the coefficient of friction, promoted strong interfacial bonding, and caused early oxidation of sliding surface. On the other hand, B4C particles increased the stability of tribolayer, caused grain refinement, and resulted in morphological changes from acicular to globular for the constituent phases of matrix. Wear rate behaviour of 15HA-31 composite was comparable to the commercially used brake drum material.

Analysis and Optimization of Machinability of Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and Fly Ash Reinforced Aluminum Hybrid Composites Using Carbide Inserts

Aluminum matrix hybrid composites reveal excellent mechanical behavior compared to traditional materials for a wide range of conditions and applications. However, the machining of this kind of composite is a challenging job due to its improved mechanical hardness. The problems faced during the cutting of these composites are increased machining forces, poor surface quality, and increased tool wear. Many types of research are still in progress across the world to overcome these issues by using a variety of inserts and processing constraints. So, this paper is mainly focused on the study of the machinability of aluminum hybrid composites. The composites are synthesized by employing stir casting via varying the filler content, stirring duration, and speed. The fabricated composites are machined using coated and uncoated carbide inserts. Machining forces, surface roughness, and insert wear are assessed to learn the machinability of these materials by varying the machining constraints. Taguchi analysis was employed to assess the effect of the constraints on the retorts. Keywords. Aluminum Hybrid Composites, Stir Casting, Machinability, Taguchi Analysis.

Mechanical and thermal expansion behavior of hybrid aluminum matrix composites reinforced with SiC particles and short carbon fibers

In recent years, the research of hybrid composites reinforced by multiple reinforcements has received increasing attention because these composites have great potential to be tailored for various applications. In the present work, hybrid aluminum (Al) matrix composites reinforced with SiC particles and carbon fibers (SiCp-Cfs/Al composites) were fabricated by the colloidal dispersion and suction filtration method. It was found that SiCp-Cfs/Al composites had a dense structure and the carbon fibers and SiC particles were uniformly distributed in the Al matrix. The mechanical properties of SiCp-Cfs/Al composites with different reinforcement volume fractions were investigated. The results showed that the SiCp-Cfs/Al composites exhibited high tensile strength and elastic modulus (tensile strength 207 MPa and elastic modulus 92 GPa) when the volume fraction of SiC particles was 5% and the volume fraction of carbon fiber was 7%, which were significantly higher than that of SiCp/Al composites with 5% volume fraction of SiC particles (tensile strength 112 MPa and elastic modulus 80 GPa). The homogeneous distribution of carbon fibers and SiC particles in the Al matrix, which serves as co-reinforcing, is responsible for the high tensile strength and elastic modulus of SiCp-Cfs/Al composites. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of SiCp/Al composites and SiCp-Cfs/Al composites were measured at temperatures ranging from 25 °C and 400 °C. The results showed that the addition of carbon fibers caused the CTE of SiCp-Cfs/Al composites to be much lower than that of SiCp/Al composites.

Tribological properties of hybrid aluminium matrix composites reinforced with boron carbide and ilmenite particles for brake rotor applications

Tribological properties of hybrid aluminium matrix composites reinforced with boron carbide and ilmenite particles for brake rotor applications

Multi-response optimization of process and reinforcement parameters of hybrid reinforced Al matrix composites using Taguchi- Grey relational analysis

Hybrid aluminum matrix composites (HAMCs) are a new class of advanced composite and hybrid materials that can be customized and engineered to achieve specific properties for specific applications in specific environments. HAMCs are popular in the transportation industry due to their reduced cost and fuel consumption as compared to conventional materials. This research article has mainly focused on multi-response optimization through an L16 orthogonal array experimental design employing Taguchi-based Grey Relational Analysis. It was intended to explore the influence of tetra hybrid reinforced HAMCs synthesized using pure Al matrix with fixed wt% of primary reinforcements (5 wt% SiC and 5 wt% Al2O3) and varying wt% of secondary reinforcements such as (0.5, 2.5, 4.5, and 6.5) wt% of Gr and (0.5, 2.5, 4.5, and 6.5) wt% of SCBA on physicomechanical properties of HAMCs when milling time, compaction pressure, and sintering temperature were varied. The Taguchi-Grey’s relational analysis gave the optimal combination of the process and reinforcement parameters for both the physical and the mechanical properties such as milling time (5 h.), compaction pressure (55 MPa), sintering temperature (450 °C), Gr content (0.5 wt%), and SCBA content (4.5 wt%). At the optimum parameter settings, the average density, porosity, hardness, compressive strength, and ultimate tensile strength were 2.5118 gm cm−3, 0.8653%, 4228.45 MPa, 343.33 MPa, and 1516.41 MPa, respectively. The utilization of Taguchi and GRA methods have significantly confirmed that the influence of compaction pressure was highest among the all the other four parameters. The newly synthesized tetra hybrid reinforced HAMCs have shown superior physicomechanical properties compared to pure Al, and single as well as double reinforced HAMCs. Therefore, it is anticipated that the newly developed tetra hybrid reinforced AMC material will be utilized in heavy-duty, aerospace, medical, automotive, marine, and other applications.