Influence of boron nitride reinforcement particles on physical and tribological properties of Al7079 MMCs
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Malnad College of Engineering, Hassan-573202 and affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi, Karnataka, India.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology and Sciences, 2024, 13(01), 1048–1057.
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjaets.2024.13.1.0512
Publication history:
Received on 11 September 2024; revised on 23 October 2024; accepted on 26 October 2024
Abstract:
Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are regarded as viable alternatives to conventional materials such as metals, plastics, and ceramics in structural applications due to their properties, including lightweight, high specific stiffness, elevated elastic modulus, enhanced specific strength, and excellent wear resistance. Among the many metal composites, aluminum metal matrix composites (MMCs) have emerged as sophisticated engineering materials for several prospective applications in engineering industries due to their superior qualities compared to typical aluminum alloys. Ceramic particles are the most extensively utilized reinforcements in MMCs due to their superior wear resistance, thermal stability, and exceptional bonding with the matrix. This research work has been conducted to develop ceramic particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composites and to evaluate their physical and mechanical properties. Al7079 alloy and Boron Nitride (BN) are selected as the matrix and reinforcement for the study respectively. The stir casting technique was utilized to fabricate the composites.Al7079-BN composites are prepared by varying the percentage of BN reinforcement particles from 0 to 8% by volume, with an increment of 2%. Test specimens were machined from the produced composites for the evaluation of microstructural, physical and tribological properties according to ASTM standards. The microstructural analysis of the produced samples was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The density of the composite was assessed empirically using Archimedes' principle and theoretically through the rule of mixture. Microstructural analysis reveals a homogeneous distribution of BN particles throughout the matrix without any agglomeration, and it also demonstrates excellent bonding. The density of the composites decreased by approximately 4.6% with the incorporation of BN reinforcement up to 8%, attributed to the lower density of BN particles. Wear loss of the composite was found to decrease with increase in reinforcement content as a result wear resistance of the composites increased as compared to unreinforced alloy.
Keywords:
Metal matrix composite; Aluminium alloy; Boron nitride; Microstructure; Tribological property
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