Investigation on Cooling Slope and Conventional Stir Cast A356/Al2O3 Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract

A356/Al2O3 metal matrix composites produced by means of conventional stirring and cooling slope casting have been investigated and their microstructures were compared. The microstructure of conventional stirring cast samples are fully dendritic in contrast to equiaxed morphology of the cooling slope cast samples. The image analysis was carried out to characterize the effective volume percent of Al2O3 particles in the ingot, and the shape factor and the size of α-Al crystals. The cooling slope casting produces higher effective volume percent, having microstructures with smaller α-Al crystal size and a greater shape factor than the conventional stirring.