Natural and industrial origin reinforced LM6 aluminum matrix composite materials – A comparative study

• Published in: AIP conference proceedings Vol. 2463; no. 1
• Main Authors: Fuhaid, Mutlag Sh, Maleque, M. A., Murali, R. V., Rahaman, M. A.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Melville American Institute of Physics 02.05.2022
• Subjects: Aluminum base alloys; Aluminum matrix composites; Comparative studies; Composite materials; Costs; Electric arc furnaces; Fly ash; Fracture surfaces; Glass fibers; Graphene; Industrial applications; Industrial wastes; Mechanical tests; Oxidation; Physical properties; Pressure casting; Production costs; Red mud; Reinforcing materials; Surface properties; Waste materials
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0080174

Aluminum matrix composites (AMC) find a broad spectrum of industrial applications owing to their excellent anisotropic properties. Commonly used reinforcing materials in AMC include SiC, C and Aramid/Glass fibres. However, higher costs incurred in processing reinforcing materials lead to excessive total production costs of composites, which is a considerable impediment to industrialists and end-users. It is reported in the literature that use of industrial wastes such as slag, red mud, fly ash and arc furnace dust as reinforcement materials in AMC has drastically improved properties and reduced total cost considerably in comparison with AMC with commonly used reinforcing materials. Besides reduction in costs, this new approach solves environmental problems posed by these waste materials otherwise. Researchers have thereby started focusing on exploring newer and cheaper waste materials suitable for reinforcement in AMC. The present study considers marble wastes (MW), a promising waste material produced from the marble cutting and finishing processes, and graphene oxide (GO), a mono-atomic layered substance produced through the oxidation of graphite, to be used as potential reinforcing materials in AMC. Composite specimens are fabricated using the pressure casting process and subject to mechanical testing methods and microstructural assessments to make a comparative study on mechanical and physical properties of LM6 AMC. Natural and industrial reinforcing materials are used in fractional volumes of 5% MW and 5% GO. The results revealed that the new AMC class has much improved mechanical and physical properties over conventional AMC. Further, GO/LM6 composites exhibited superior properties over the MW/LM6 composites, with a 45% improvement in UTS. The fracture surface characteristics and analysis were carried out using SEM, which showed that porosity spots across the structure and a potential cavity in the matrix that has led to final fracture of AMC.