EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE USING NATURAL REINFORCEMENT

Abstract

Aluminium is one of the most common metals in the world and its use is increasing day by day in many industries most significantly in aerospace and automobile industry credited to its comparatively lower weight and higher strength. Aluminium alloy-based metal matrix composites have shown incredible potential for cost saving which can be easily pointed to light weight of the material, high specific strength and corrosion resistance, as well as good cast ability. Aluminium composites are finding application as reinforced piston, driveshafts, break components and many more. Aluminium composites have been produced in the industry by using various techniques such as gravity die casting, hot forging but one process which has shown mass acceptance is stir casting. Stir casting has stood out among all other because of its inexpensive, simple operating and mass production capabilities. In this report three samples are prepared with the base of aluminium AA6061. First sample is prepared by casting aluminium without any reinforcement. In the second sample SiC particles are added to the aluminium metal matrix, the third sample has two reinforcement, SiC and natural reinforcement (aloe vera), added to aluminium matrix. The reinforcements were preheated to a temperature of 200˚C for one hour before it was added to the molten AA6061 to have uniform distribution in the matrix. XRD analysis of the composite samples shows the presence of reinforcement and the base metal in the composite. The FESEM images of the samples further confirms the presence of reinforcement in the composite samples. Mechanical properties and tribological properties of the prepared composite samples were determined. Tensile strength and microhardness are observed to be maximum in case of SiC reinforced metal matrix composite. Wear loss is minimum in the composite sample having Aloe vera and SiC reinforcement. Percentage elongation is maximum in the as casted sample. Microhardness