An Experimental Study of Mechanical Behaviour of Aluminium Based Stir Casted Metal Matrix Composite

Abstract

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">The requirement for lightweight, high-performance materials with higher wear resistance, which is critical in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and consumer-related sectors, has fueled the development of particle reinforced metal matrix composites (PRMCs). These materials are an appealing alternative for a broad variety of scientific and technological applications due to their remarkable mechanical qualities and low cost. The primary goal of developing metal matrix composite materials is to combine the favorable properties of metals and ceramics. This study included several experimental experiments to explore the behavior of stir-cast composites made of aluminum grade 6063 with varying amounts of SiC, Al2O3, and TiO2 reinforcements. The specimens obtained through the use of stir casting methodologies are subjected to a wide range of mechanical tests, including tensile tests, impact analyses, hardness measurements, and tribological investigations such as sliding wear tests and erosive wear tests. The existence of phases inside the reinforced material was determined using X-ray diffraction. The testing findings showed that the integration of silicon carbide particles resulted in improved mechanical properties owing to the particles' uniform distribution. Many variables impact the properties of metal matrix composites (MMCs), including the interface characteristics, the volume fraction of reinforcement, and the material selection. The Al MMC's tribological metrics show a decrease in both the coefficient of friction and the wear rate. The experimental findings show that semi-ductile behavior exists in composites with a high erosion rate. The aforementioned composite materials may find use in the aerospace and automotive industries, where increased properties like as toughness, wear rate, density, and hardness are desired. Nonetheless, these findings may serve as a foundation for the creation of MMC components by both academics and industry designers. The ductility test results show that the incorporation of reinforcement particles (SiC-Al2O3-TiO2) in the matrix material of Al 6063-(SiC-Al2O3-TiO2) composites reduces ductility significantly.</div></div>