Study of Mechanical Properties and EMI Shielding Behaviour of Al6061 Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract

In the present technological environment, the aerospace industry needs cutting-edge materials not only to meet the requirements such as lower weight and higher values of strength and stiffness, but also to protect against electromagnetic interference. In this article, an attempt has been made to prepare Al6061 hybrid metal matrix composites reinforced with varying percentages of SiC, Al2O3, and fly ash particulates through a stir-casting route. As per ASTM standards, various tests have been conducted to know the density, tensile strength, yield strength, and hardness. Simultaneously, all the prepared composites are tested for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) under the X band frequency with the help of a vector network analyzer. In order to identify the composite possessing good mechanical properties, as well as shielding effectiveness, a TOPSIS methodology has been employed in this work. The present study reveals that the proposed hybrid composite contains 5% of each reinforcement material which shows better mechanical properties as well as good shielding effectiveness.