Investigation on Mechanical and Wear Behaviors of LM6 Aluminium Alloy-Based Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites Using Stir Casting Process

Abstract

In this investigation, aluminium-silicon-based alloy (LM6) with the addition of (0, 2.5, 5, and 10%) copper-coated short steel fiber and 5% boron carbide (B4C) element-strengthened composites was fabricated by the stir casting method. Mechanical properties and tribological behaviors of LM6-based hybrid composites were investigated, and microstructures of different castings were examined by an image analyzer. The test was conducted at different loads (10, 20, 30, and 40 N) and different sliding spaces (500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 m), respectively. The results revealed that the sample loaded with 10% of reinforcement recorded the highest tensile strength of 231 MPa. On the other hand, the hardness value increased from 71 to 144 BHN, when 15% of reinforcement was added to the sample. It was also noted that 10% copper-coated steel fiber improved wear resistance up to 50% when compared to LM6. A field emission scanning electron microscope was employed to observe the morphology of the worn surfaces of composites at different sliding distances and load conditions. The hybrid composite revealed that the combination of both short steel fibers and reinforcement of ceramic particles enhanced the mechanical properties, obtaining superior wear resistance.

Investigating mechanical and physical properties of stir casted Al6061/nano Al2O3/quartz hybrid composite

“…However, as more quartz particulate is added, the hardness value reaches a certain point and then declines due to the formation of brittle phase in the matrix as a result of the quartz reinforcement. Similar improvements in compressive strength were reported by Gnaneswaran et al (2022) and Kumar et al (2018), who stated that the addition of 9% Al2O3 to Al7075 improved the alloy's compressive strength by 70.61%. The author attributed this enhancement to the Al2O3 particles acting as barriers to dislocation in the microstructure of the composite, effectively resisting deforming stress and increasing the compressive strength.…”

Influence of nano-TiO2 particles on the microstructure, mechanical and wear behaviour of AA7178 alloy matrix fabricated by stir casting technique

“…Delamination originates due to the microscopic ablation technique during sliding contact. [36][37][38] Micro-ploughing and micro-cutting are solely responsible for abrasive wear. Micro-ploughing causes distortion when wear is minor, and micro-cutting causes deformation when the wear is severe.…”

Mechanical and wear characteristics of (Al7075/SiC/Gr/Zr) hybrid metal matrix composites using ultrasonic assisted stir casting process

“…The review shows how superior machining and reduced surface roughness have improved. Gnaneswaran et al [15] had utilized stir casting for the fabrication of LM 6 /B 4 C aluminum composite made metal. This research goal is to analyze the wear behavior.…”

“…The main challenges faced by previous literature in the traditional stir casting furnace that previous researchers utilize for single and mixed composite preparations [14,15] with reinforcement concentrations that have been enhanced by only a particular percentage (Challenges) are (a) effective bonding among reinforcement and matrix impacted by wettability and employment of excellent reinforcements. (b) The rate of reinforcement flow into molten metal and stirrer blade erosion (c) Increased porosity levels (d) uniform dispersion, the creation of clusters, and aggregation because of the differences in density between the reinforcement and matrix.…”