Fabrication and Characterization of Aluminum (Al‐6061) Matrix Composite Reinforced with Waste Glass for Engineering Applications

Abstract

Aluminum composites with various reinforcement materials are widely applicable in advanced engineering due to their better strength to weight ratio, better stiffness, and high thermal conductivity as well as excellent wear and corrosion properties. This stimulates curiosity to study aluminum metal matrix composite reinforced with waste glass to improve its mechanical and physical properties. The composite specimens were prepared using stir-casting rout by varying weight percentage of reinforcing waste glass powder from 0% to 30%. The fabricated composite samples were characterized using universal testing machine, FTIR, DSC, TGA, and optical microscope. The results revealed that as the waste glass particle content increased in the metal matrix, there was a significant enhancement of the mechanical properties like hardness and tensile strength as compared to the pristine sample. The microstructural properties analyzed using optical microscope show good bonding between the reinforcements and the pristine materials in the composite that indicates the glass particulates are uniformly distributed in the Al-6061 matrix. All in all, the effect of waste glass powder in aluminum metal matrix composite was clearly observed and it enhances the mechanical, physical, and thermal properties of the newly fabricated aluminum-based composite materials.

Research progress on ceramic nanomaterials reinforced aluminum matrix nanocomposites

“…Aluminium/alloys are widely considered as matrix materials to fabricate conventional composites and nanocomposites, due to their inherent qualities, namely light weight, good ductility, and conductivity [37]. Poor qualities such as strength, stiffness, and corrosion resistance of pure metal can be enhanced by reinforcing an appropriate micro or nano material in the matrix phase [36,43,[57][58][59]. Recently, there is a huge research interests on various nanomaterials reinforced aluminium/alloy matrix nanocomposites.…”

“…However, aluminium has poor strength and stiffness that can be enhanced by incorporating a suitable materials in the metal matrix [34,35]. Aluminium matrix composites possesses improved mechanical and physical properties, superior wear and corrosion resistance, and high temperature creep resistance [36,37]. Jiang et al [35] presented aluminium alloy matrix composite reinforced with micro sized SiC fabricated by using squeeze casting method.…”

Applicability of Industrial Wastes in Metal Matrix Composites Production – A Review

“…Recycling waste glass materials can help reduce energy consumption as they have lower melting points than raw materials [43]. Crushed waste glass finds various applications in civil engineering and construction projects, such as fine aggregate in concrete [46 -50], aggregate in asphalt concrete [43,[51][52], usage in ultra-lightweight fiber-reinforced concrete [53] and reinforcement in metal matrix composite [54]. Research on the use of recycled glass as reinforcement in MMC development has been scarce.…”