Characterization Study of Aluminium 6061 Hybrid Composite

Authors: U. Achutha Kini, S. S. Sharma, K. Jagannath, P. R. Prabhu, Gowri Shankar M. C.

Abstract:

Aluminium matrix composites with alumina reinforcements give superior mechanical & physical properties. Their applications in several fields like automobile, aerospace, defense, sports, electronics, bio-medical and other industrial purposes are becoming essential for the last several decades. In the present work, fabrication of hybrid composite was done by Stir casting technique using Al 6061 as a matrix with alumina and silicon carbide (SiC) as reinforcement materials. The weight percentage of alumina is varied from 2 to 4% and the silicon carbide weight percentage is maintained constant at 2%. Hardness and wear tests are performed in the as cast and heat treated conditions. Age hardening treatment was performed on the specimen with solutionizing at 550°C, aging at two temperatures (150 and 200°C) for different time durations. Hardness distribution curves are drawn and peak hardness values are recorded. Hardness increase was very sensitive with respect to the decrease in aging temperature. There was an improvement in wear resistance of the peak aged material when aged at lower temperature. Also increase in weight percent of alumina, increases wear resistance at lower temperature but opposite behavior was seen when aged at higher temperature.

Keywords: Hybrid composite, hardness test, wear test, heat treatment, pin on disc wear testing machine.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1107183

References:

[1] Suresha S and Sridhara B.K, “Parametric studies on the tribological behavior of aluminium matrix hybrid composites”, International Journal on Design and Manufacturing Technologies 4 (2010) 15-20.
[2] H K Shivanand, “Effects of reinforcement’s content and ageing durations on wear characteristics of Al (6061) based hybrid composites”. Wear 262 (2007) 759-763.
[3] U Achutha Kini, Prakash Shetty, S Divakara Shetty and Arun Isloor, “Corrosion Inhibition of 6061 Al alloy– 15 vol% SiC (p) Composite in 0.5 M Hydrochloric Acid Solution” IJBEES 1-3 (2012) 77-81.
[4] M C Gowri Shankar, P K Jayashri, Raviraj Shetty, U Achutha Kini and S S Sharma, “Individual and Combined Effect of Reinforcements on Stir Cast Aluminium Metal Matrix Composites-A Review” International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology 3-3 (2013) 922-932.
[5] V C Uvaraja and N Natarajan, “Tribological characterization of stir cast hybrid composites aluminium 6061 reinforced with SiC and B4C particulates” European Journal of Scientific Research 76 (2012) 539- 552.
[6] L H Manjunatha, “Studies on effect of heat treatment and water quench age hardening on micro structure strength, abrasive wear behavior of Al6061-MWCNT metal matrix composites.” 1-10 (2013) 67-73.
[7] M C Gowri Shankar, P K Jayashri, Raviraj Shetty, U Achutha Kini and S S Sharma, “Effect of silicon oxide (SiO2) reinforced particles on ageing behavior of Al-2024 alloy” IJMET 5-9 (2014) 15-22.
[8] L Poovazhagan, K Kalaichelvan, A Rajadurai and V Senthilvelan, “Characterization of Hybrid Silicon Carbide and Boron Carbide Nanoparticles-Reinforced Aluminum Alloy Composites”, International Conference on Design and Manufacturing, 2013, pp. 681-689.
[9] Devaraju Aruria, Kumar Adepua, Kumaraswamy Adepu and Kotiveerachari Bazavada, “Wear and mechanical properties of 6061-T6 aluminum alloysurface hybrid composites
[(SiC + Gr) and (SiC + Al2O3)] fabricated by friction stir processing”, Journals of materials research and technology 2 (2013) 362-369.
[10] M. Uthayakumar, S. Aravindan and K. Rajkumar, “Wear performance of Al–SiC–B4C hybrid composites under dry sliding conditions”, Materials and Design 47 (2013) 456-464.
[11] K Umanath, S T Selvamani and K Palanikumar, “Friction and wear behavior of Al6061 alloy hybrid composites” International Journal of Engineering Science and Technology3 (2011) 5441-5451.