Investigation of Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Pure Al-SiC-Nanocomposite Casted by Stir-Squeeze Casting Process

Abstract

There is a long demand for light-weight, high-strength, and wear-resistance aluminium alloys, particularly in automotive and aerospace industries. This demand is somewhat fulfilled by aluminium metal matrix composites. However, aluminium nano-metal matrix composite because of its superior properties is increasingly popular to replace aluminium metal matrix composites. The SiC (grit size is <90 nm) with purity 99.9% nanoparticle can enhance the properties of the base material in terms of tensile strength, hardness, microhardness, and mechanical strength. Pure Al (99.9%) matrix composites reinforced with SiC (purity 99.9%) nanoparticles are fabricated by liquid-state method with 1 wt% Mg, and their microstructure, mechanical properties (wear resistance, tensile behaviour, hardness), XRD, SEM were investigated. Here pure SiC purity 99.9% added into molten Al with 1 wt% Mg using squeeze die casting with furnace temperature 850 °C and pathway temperature 700 °C and for uniform mixing of SiC nanoparticles into matrix use stir method with 400 rpm for 2 min and pressure was 31.3 mpa. Pure Al and 1 wt% SiC nanocomposites with 1 wt% Mg were developed; the Al-SiC nanocomposites were characterised using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Due to used higher pressure during solidification, there is very low porosity. Stir is used before mixing the nano-SiC particle and pouring the metal into mould, which gives the uniform distribution of nanoparticles into matrix.