Fabrication of Surface Metal Matrix composite of AA7075 using Friction Stir Processing

Abstract

Friction stir processing (FSP), a process, derived from the friction stir welding (FSW) process, is an emerging novel, green and energy efficient processing technique to fabricate surface composite. In the present investigation, the FSP technique has been used for the fabrication of surface composites, usingAluminium Alloy 7075 as parent metal and Titanium Dioxide and Silicon Carbide powder particles as reinforcement. Aluminium Alloy 7075 has been selected as the matrix phase, as being widely used by the automotive and aerospace application and has the highest strength among all commercial Al alloys. In present work details about the fabrication of surface composites using various reinforcement combinations like AA7075-TiO2, AA7075-andAA7075-SiC,TiO2+SiC at constant tool rotation, tool travel speed and number of passes have been discussed. The same being intended to improve hardness. It is observed that the average hardness of friction stir processed surface composite was 4 higher than that of parent metal.