Abstract
Aluminium matrix composites (AMCs) play a vital role in constructing aircraft, marine and automobile components. The major issue in manufacturing of AMCs through stir casting method is a localized ceramic particles agglomeration. In current research, metal castings have been prepared with 97.5 wt% of aluminium alloy (AA 7075) and 2.5 wt% of nano-alumina (n-Al2O3) particles through a modified matrix encapsulated feeding technique. The tensile strength, microhardness and dry sliding wear behaviour of n-Al2O3 reinforced AA 7075 composites were measured following ASTM standards. The ultimate tensile strength of the developed AMCs varies from 280 to 315 MPa, which is 12.5% higher than unreinforced AA 7075 alloy. Yield strength increases from 140 to 158 MPa, whereas microhardness of the composites increases from 138 to 210HV. Due to homogeneous distribution of n-Al2O3, the overall wear resistance of n-Al2O3 reinforced AA 7075 composites increases up to 90% as compared to unreinforced AA 7075 alloy. Also, the addition of n-Al2O3 particles marginally reduces the network of microcracks and deep furrows in the worn surface. The microstructural and elemental studies are also performed through scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig1_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig2_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig3_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig4_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig5_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig6_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig7_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig8_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig9_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig10_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig11_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig12_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12666-023-03144-4/MediaObjects/12666_2023_3144_Fig13_HTML.png)
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barbero Ever J, Introduction to composite materials design, CRC Press, London (2017).
Flake Campbell Jr., Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Structural Materials, 1st Edition, eBook ISBN: 9780080462356, Elsevier Science 2006.
Noton B R, Engineering Applications of Composites: Composite Materials, vol. 3. Elsevier, London (2016).
Dursun T, and Soutis C, Mater Des 56 (2014) 862.
Sajjadi S A, Ezatpour H R, and Torabi Parizi M, Mater Des 34 (2012) 106.
Yi, **ao-Su, Du, Shanyi, Zhang, Litong (Eds.) Composite Materials Engineering, Volume 2, eBook ISBN978–981–10–5690–1, Pages 305–487, Springer 2018.
Zhang W, Ding D, and Gao P, Mater Des 90 (2016) 834.
Eckhoff, Rolf K. Explosion hazards in the process industries. Gulf Professional Publishing, 2016.
Hashim J, Looney L, and Hashmi M S J, J Mater Process Technol 92 (1999) 1.
Kandpal B C, Kumar J, and Singh H, Mater Today: Proc 5 (1), (2018) 5.
Hashim J, Looney L, and Hashmi M S J, J Mater Process Technol 123 (2), (2002) 251.
Prabu S, Balasivanandha L, Karunamoorthy S K, and Mohan B, J Mater Process Technol 171 (2), (2006) 268.
Ray S, J Mater Sci 28 (20), (1993) 5397.
Hashim J, Looney L, and Mohamad Hashmi S J, J Mater Process Technol 119 (1), (2001) 329–335.
Thomas A, Tony R, Parameshwaran A M, and Arvind Kumaran M, Procedia Mater Sci 5 (2014) 1182.
Umanath K, Selvamani S T, PalanikumarK K, and Niranjanavarma D, Procedia Eng 97 (2014) 703.
Ceschini L, Dahle A, Gupta M, Jarfors A E W, Jayalakshmi S, Morri A, Rotundo F, Toschi S, and Arvind Singh R, Casting Routes for the Production of Al and Mg Based Nanocomposites. in Aluminum and Magnesium Metal Matrix Nanocomposites, Springer, Singapore (2017), p 41.
Aatthisugan, I., A. Razal Rose, and D. Selwyn Jebadurai. "Mechanical and wear behaviour of AZ91D magnesium matrix hybrid composite reinforced with boron carbide and graphite." Journal of Magnesium and Alloys 5, no. 1 (2017): 20–25.Barbero, Ever J, in “Introduction to composite materials design” (CRC press, 2017).
Prakash S, Sasikumar R, Natarajan E, and Suresha B, Trans Indian Inst Met 73 (2020) 1265.
Atuanya C U, and Aigbodion V S, J Alloys Compd 601 (2014) 251.
James S, Annamalai A, Kuppan P, and Oyyaravelu R, Mech. Mater. Sci. Eng. 9 (2017) 301.
Auradi V, Rajesh G L, and Kori S A, Procedia Mater Sci 6 (2014) 1068.
Santhosh M S, Sasikumar R, and Natarajan E, Mater Res Express 4 (8), (2021) 045310.
Natrayan L, Santhosh M S, Mohanraj R, and Hariharan R, IOP Conf Ser: Mater Sci Eng 561 (1), (2019) 012038.
Palanikumar K, Nithyanandam J, Natarajan E, Lim W H, and Tiang S S, Alex Eng J 64 (2023) 877.
Acknowledgements
This research work funded by Science & Engineering Research Board, under Department of Science & Technology under the Govt. of India [DST-SERB (File No.YSS/2015/000823) and Aeronautics Research and Development Board (ARDB)—DRDO under the Govt. of India [AR&DB-DRDO (File No. AR&DB/01/2031808/M/1)]. The authors would like to thank DRDO, DST-SERB and the management of Selvam College of Technology for the support rendered to conduct the experiments.
Funding
Mission on Nano Science and Technology, YSS/2015/000823, R Sasikumar, Aeronautics Research and Development Board, AR&DB/01/2031808/M/1, R Sasikumar.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Prakash, S., Suresh, P., Sasikumar, R. et al. Superior Mechanical Properties of Aluminium Matrix Composites Fabricated through Modified Matrix Encapsulated Feeding Method. Trans Indian Inst Met 77, 707–716 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12666-023-03144-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12666-023-03144-4