Mechanical Characterization of Graphene Reinforced Al2024/Albite Hybrid Composites by Powder Metallurgy.

Abstract

Aluminum copper alloys reinforced with naturally occurring or synthesized ceramic particulates are widely used for producing various automobile components and as structural supports by the aerospace industries. For improving their performance these composite materials have been further refined by the addition of nano materials. Nano sized graphene has played a significant role in this direction. In this present work an attempt has been made to refine Al2024/Albite composite in which the predominant primary reinforcement Albite of 5% by weight has been maintained constant and by addition of graphene as secondary reinforcement with varying content (0.25,0.50,0.75, 1, 1.25 and 1.5Wt%) the composite material was fabricated by adopting powder metallurgy. SEM images of the processed hybrid composites revealed the presence of primary reinforcement Albite and secondary reinforcement graphene reinforcements equitably distributed throughout the Al2024 alloy with very less presence of voids. An appreciable increase in compression strength and hardness has been observed with increase in addition to secondary reinforcement up to 1.25%Wt of graphene, but tends to decrease with further addition of graphene reinforcement.