Aluminum Silicon Carbide Particulate Metal Matrix Composite Development Via Stir Casting Processing

• Published in: SILICON Vol. 10; no. 2; pp. 343 - 347
• Main Authors: Inegbenebor, A. O., Bolu, C. A., Babalola, P. O., Inegbenebor, A. I., Fayomi, O. S. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.03.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aluminum; Base metal; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Dispersion; Electrical resistivity; Environmental Chemistry; Fractions; Hardness; Inorganic Chemistry; Lasers; Materials Science; Metal matrix composites; Modulus of elasticity; Optical Devices; Optics; Original Paper; Particulate composites; Photonics; Polymer Sciences; Production methods; Silicon carbide; Surface hardness; Particulate; Silicon carbide; Electrical properties; Aluminium composite matrix
• ISSN: 1876-990X; 1876-9918
• DOI: 10.1007/s12633-016-9451-7

In this paper, conventional simple methods of producing MMC with attained properties through the dispersion of silicon carbide in the matrix are investigated. To achieve these objectives a two-step mixing method of stir casting technique was employed. Aluminum (99.66 %C.P) and SiC (320 and 1200 grits) were chosen as matrix and reinforcement materials respectively. Experiments were conducted by varying the weight fraction of SiC for 2.5 %, 5.0 %, 7.5 % and 10 %. The result indicated that the stir casting method was quite successful to obtain uniform dispersion of reinforcement in the matrix. This was evident by the improvement of properties of composites over the base metal. Reinforced Aluminum Silicon Carbide (ASC) showed an increase in Young’s modulus (E) and hardness above the unreinforced case and marginal reduction of electrical conductivity was recorded for the composites. The silicon carbide of 1200 grits (3 μm) showed increased Young’s modulus (E) and hardness of 1517.6 Mpa and 26.1 Hv values at 7.5% volume fraction silicon carbide; when compared with the silicon carbide 320 grit (29 μm). Also; the electrical conductivity properties of the two grit sizes of the silicon carbides were less than the base metal for all the volume fractions of silicon carbide.