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International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976 –

6480(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6499(Online) Volume 3, Number 2, July-December (2012), © IAEME

226

CHARACTERIZATION OF AlSiC METAL-MATRIX BY STIR-

CASTING

Mr. Amol D. Sable

1, Dr. S. D. Deshmukh

2

1 Student of M.E. (Manufacturing Engg), Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College (JNEC),

Aurangabad, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Maharashtra, India, E-mail:

[email protected]

2

Principal, Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College (JNEC), Aurangabad, Dr. Babasaheb

Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, Maharashtra,

India, E-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

A tremendous development of the present engineering sectors, Metal-matrix composites

plays a vital role in industrial metallurgical processes. The metal-matrix composite has a

great advantageous properties and reasonable costing increases the performance of the

machineries and it also much more profitable technology than powder metallurgical

processes. Metal-matrix composites can mainly prepared by metallic materials, ceramic

materials and non-metallic materials. In this paper, we adopted the metallic material like

aluminium with silicon carbide (AlSiC) metal-matrix composites by stir-casting method. On

the explore and augmentation of the engineering industrial sectors, this paper emphasizes the

production of metal-matrix AlSiC composites by the continuous stir-casting method and

prepared six rounded bars and six square bars samples of changeable percentile compositions

of SiC – 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% with aluminium. Final samples were tested by

hardness using Brinell hardness machine, impact strength test using Charpy-V-Notched

machine and Microstructure examination conducted on Trinocular type Metallurgical

Microscope.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED RESEARCH IN

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (IJARET)

ISSN 0976 - 6480 (Print) ISSN 0976 - 6499 (Online) Volume 3, Issue 2, July-December (2012), pp. 226-234 © IAEME: www.iaeme.com/ijaret.asp Journal Impact Factor (2012): 2.7078 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com

IJARET

© I A E M E



227

Keywords: Metal-Matrix Composite, AlSiC Stir-Casting, Hardness Test, Impact Strength

Test, Microstructure Examination

I. INTRODUCTION

Metal-matrix composites has great role in the modern engineering fields. These are used for

the manufacturing the strong, hard and light-weighted engineering materials which sere used

in latest machineries, parts of the speedy motors and vehicles and other engineering works.

Silicon carbide is very important constituents of the metal-matrix composites because of its

excellent homogeneous uniting properties. It also the back bone of every structure metal-

matrix composites. Metals like aluminium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, ferrous etc are used

for fabricating the metal-matrix composites; here we prepared AlSiC metal-matrix. The raw

materials like Al (98.41%) metal scraps homogeneously united with SiC (320 grit) by

continuous stir-casting method. Stir-casting is the type of vortex heating with stirring method

in which the raw materials gets homogeneously mixed with each other at controlled

temperature rate. The slurry was poured into the desired shaped moulds i.e. rounded bars and

rectangle bars. By this method, we prepared the samples of different composition of AlSiC

metal-matrix and then the testing treatments like hardness impact strength and micrograph

structure analysis would be done which is discussed in this paper.

II. METAL-MATRIX COMPOSITES

Metal-matrix composite structure is generally designated purely by the term metal alloy of

the matrix and the material in the form of the strengthening. The matrix is permeating soft

part generally having excellent tensile strength, hardness, ductility and thermal conductivity

which are set in the hard reinforcements having high tautness and low thermal expansion. For

the development of metal-matrix, light metal composite materials mixed with light metal

alloys are applied as matrix materials. During the metal-matrix production, the main

contribution of special alloys is used in powder metallurgy which is used for the

solidification.

III. STIR-CASTING EXPERIMENTATION

Stir Casting is a liquid state method of composite materials fabrication, in which dispersed

phase is mixed with a molten metal-matrix by means of mechanical stirring. The liquid

composite material is then cast by conventional casting methods. The term stir-casting is the



228

process of stirring molten metal’s are used for continuous stirring particles into metal alloy to

melt and immediately pour into the sand mould then cooled and allow to solidify.

The experimental arrangement has been assembled by the coupling motor and mild steel four

blade stirrer on the MS square pipes frame. The melting of the alluminium (98.41%) scraps

and silicon carbide powder (SiCp – 320 grit size) is carried out in the graphite crucible in to

the coal-fired furnace. First the scraps of aluminium (98.41%) were preheated for 3 to 4 hours

at 450°C and silicon carbide powder (SiCp – 320 grit size) also heated with 900°C and both

the preheated mixtures is then mechanically mixed with each other below their melting

points. This metal-matrix AlSiC is then poured into the graphite crucible and put in to the

coal-fired furnace at 760°C temperature. After completing the experiment the slurry has been

taken into the sand mould within thirty seconds allow it to solidify. Finally we prepared the

six types varying samples like rounded bars and square bars as per specified by the objectives

this paper. This experiment should repeatedly conducted by varying the compositions of the

composite powder of SiC (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%) as shown in the fig.1 given

below;

After getting the final samples i.e. rounded bars and square bars, it is then ready for the

testing of hardness test, impact strength test and micrograph examination.

IV. CONDUCTED TESTS

The main purpose this paper is to develop the strong light weighted metal-matrix AlSiC

composite material which is useful in the industrial sectors as well as advanced machineries.

After fabrication following test were conducted by this paper;

4.1 Hardness Test (Brinell Hardness Test)

Hardness test has been conducted on each specimen using a load of 500 Kg and a steel ball of

diameter 10 mm as indenter. Hardness tester is employed to evaluate the interfacial bonding

between the particles and the matrix by indenting the hardness with the constant load and

International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), ISSN 0976

6480(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6499(Online) Volume 3, Number 2, July

constant time. Test samples were sectioned from the cylindrical cast bars of size 30 mm

diameter and 30 mm height. Test specimens

2; the mean result of the specimens trials are shown in

representations are given in the graph No.1;


6499(Online) Volume 3, Number 2, July-December (2012), © IAEME

229

Test samples were sectioned from the cylindrical cast bars of size 30 mm

est specimens before test and after test are shown

the mean result of the specimens trials are shown in the chart No.1 and its graphical



December (2012), © IAEME

Test samples were sectioned from the cylindrical cast bars of size 30 mm

shown in given fig.

the chart No.1 and its graphical



230

4.2 Impact Strength test

Impact Strength test is done by Charpy V Notch pendulum impact testing machine. The

square bar test specimens is applied on a simply supported beam. A Specimen is adjusted by

square cross section 10 mm x 10mm x 55mmin length with 45 degree v notch at center.

Single blow of hammer is given at mid span of specimen. The blow should be sufficient to

bend or break the specimen at center. The striking energy should be 310 ±10 joules. The

energy spent in bending or breaking the specimen is taken as Charpy impact value shown in

the fig. 3, the mean result of the specimens trials are shown in the chart No.2 and its graphical




231

4.3 Microstructure Examination

Metallographic samples were sectioned from the cylindrical cast bars. A 0.5 % HF solution

was used to etch the samples wherever required. To see the difference in distribution of SiC

particles in the aluminum matrix, microstructure of samples were developed on

Trinocular type Metallurgical Microscope (Made: JVC, Range-X10 to X1000) shown in the

fig.4;


6480(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6499(Online) Volume 3, Number 2, July

First sample was prepared without applying any stirring process

composite has been developed without applying stirring process, particle clustering occurred

in some places, and some places were identified without SiC inclusion. This was due to the

fact that when the SiC particles were added into the molten a

floating on the surface, though they have a large specific density than the molten metal. This

was due to high surface tension and poor wetting between the particles and the melt.

A group of figures depicts micrographs

respectively developed with the help of two

shows the resulting homogeneous distribution of particles in the samples

6;


6499(Online) Volume 3, Number 2, July-December (2012), © IAEME

232

First sample was prepared without applying any stirring process as shown in fig. 5



fact that when the SiC particles were added into the molten alloys, they were observed to be



micrographs of samples containing 5%, 15%, 25% SiC by weight

respectively developed with the help of two-step mixing method of stir casting. It clearly

shows the resulting homogeneous distribution of particles in the samples as shown in the fig.


December (2012), © IAEME

as shown in fig. 5. When the



lloys, they were observed to be



f samples containing 5%, 15%, 25% SiC by weight

step mixing method of stir casting. It clearly

as shown in the fig.



233

Figure 7 shows micrograph of sample containing 30% SiC by weight. Density of SiC

particles decreases inspite of an increase in concentration. This may be attributed to the fact

that a this weight fraction, SiC particles greatly interact with each other leading to clustering

of particles and consequently settling down.

V. RESULT AND CONCLUSION

After getting the result of the composition AlSiC (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and

30%) ready samples were tested and checked the hardness test, impact of strength test

and uniform distribution study of reinforcement in metal-matrix with micro-

spectrograph analysis as follows;

1) The results of study suggest that with increase in composition of SiC, an increase in

hardness and impact strengths have been observed.

2) The best results has been obtained at 25% weight fraction of 320 grit size SiC

particles. Maximum Hardness = 44.9 BHN and Maximum Impact Strength = 35.33 J.

3) Homogenous dispersion of SiC particles in the Al matrix shows an increasing trend in

the samples prepared by without applying stirring process with manual stirring and

with 2-Step method of stir casting technique respectively.



234

VI. REFERENCES

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Composites”, ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Vol. 6, No. 10, Oct

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[2] S. Das, “Development of Aluminium Alloy Composites for Engineering

Applications”, Trans. Indian Inst. Met., Vol.57, No. 4, pp. 325-334Aug (2004)

[3] Y. Sahin, “Preparation and some properties of SiC particle reinforced aluminium alloy

composites”, Materials and Design 24 671–679 (2003)

[4] S. Naher, D. Brabazon, L. Looney, “Development and assessment of a new quick

quench stir caster design for the production of metal matrix composites”, Journal of

Materials Processing Technology 166, 430–439 (2004)

[5] Muhammad Hayat Jokhio, Muhammad Ibrahim Panhwar, Mukhtiar Ali Unar,

“Manufacturing of Aluminum Composite Material Using Stir Casting Process”,

Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering & Technology, Volume 30, No. 1,

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[6] Manoj Singla, Lakhvir Singh, Vikas Chawla, “Study Of Wear Properties Of Al-Sic

Composites”, Journal Of Minerals & Materials Characterization & Engineering, Vol.

8, No.10, Page. 813-819, (2009)

[7] Neelima Devi. C, Mahesh.V, Selvaraj. N, “Mechanical Characterization Of

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[8] Gaurav Chigal, Gaurav Saini, “ Mechanical Testing Of Al6061/Silicon Carbide Metal

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[9] S. O. Adeosun, S.A. Balogun, O.S. Sanni And W.A.Ayoola, “ Improving The Strength

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[10] Karl Ulrich Kainer, “Basics of Metal Matrix Composites”, WILEY-VCH Verlag

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[12] J.U. Ejiofor, R.G. Reddy, “Developments in the Processing and Properties of

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[13] R.K. Jain, “Production Technology”, 16th

Edition, Khanna Publishers, New Delhi

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[14] Pulkit Bajaj, “Mechanical behavior of Aluminium based metal matrix composites

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University, Patiala, India, Page – 10

[15] Subhakanta Sarangi, Deepak Kumar, “Fabrication and characterization of aluminium –

fly ash composites using stir casting method”, National Institute of Technology,

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[16] http://www.ipublishing.co.in

[17] http://www.elsevier.com

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