Effect of Thermal Ageing on Al-SiC Metal Matrix Composite

Abstract

Aluminium alloys are widely used in aerospace and automobile industries due to their low density and good mechanical properties, better corrosion resistance and wear, low thermal coefficient of expansion as compared to conventional metals and alloys. The excellent mechanical properties of these materials and relatively low production cost make them a very attractive candidate for a variety of applications both from scientific and technological viewpoints. Present work is focused on the study of age hardening behaviour of Aluminium alloy (6351) - 9%wt SiC composite produced by the stir casting technique. Water and Brine solution has been used as the quenching media. Thermal ageing has been done at different temperature, time and quenching media. Micro hardness and wear tests were performed on the samples obtained from the stir casting process. The results of ageing demonstrate that the micro hardness of the composite depend on the quenching medium in which they are heat treated and peak hardness depends on quenching media and ageing time durations. X-ray Diffraction was performed to know the presence of the phases of reinforced material. Optical micrography was done to know the distribution of SiC particles in aluminium alloy.