Fabrication of Al-Zn/SiC Reinforced Metal Matrix Composite via Powder Metallurgy Method and Investigating the Mechanical Properties of Composite

Abstract

Abstract In this investigation, Al-Zn/SiC composite with various weight percentages of SiC were manufactured via powder metallurgy (PM) route. Using the powder metallurgy approach, composites are created by changing the amount of Al in the range of 95%, 90%, 85% and SiC in the range of 5%, 10%, 15% by weight respectively. Before making composites, mechanical alloying was done using a ball mill. The ball to powder ratio is 10:1, the milling speed is 150 rpm, the milling time is one hour, and the process control agent is stearic acid, accordingly. The mechanically alloyed powders were compressed in a die with the sample size of 125mm length at a pressure of 300MPa by using the hydraulic press. The compressed samples were sintered in a furnace at a temperature below the melting point of aluminium. To increase the sintering property, samples were kept for two hours in an argon environment before being cooled in a furnace. The hardness, tensile strength, and wear test evaluations and property evaluations are performed on the samples of the manufactured aluminium composite. This study shows that addition of Zn and SiC to Al showed superior properties and better microstructure than pure Aluminium.