Abstract
The current investigation is focused on the fabrication and characterization of Al2O3 reinforced AZ91 Magnesium (Mg) matrix composites. These lightweight and wear-resistant composites were developed by incorporating the varying Al2O3 reinforcement in weight percentages (wt% ages) into AZ91 Mg matrix alloy using stir casting technique in conjunction with ultrasonic agitations with optimal conditions. The effects of varying wt% of reinforcements on the composite’s particle distribution, matrix-particle interfacial reaction, microstructure, mechanical and tribological attributes were investigated. The tribological performance of base matrix alloy and the developed composites was examined using a friction and wear apparatus. The analysis using SEM, OM, and XRD were accomplished to investigate the surface morphology, microstructure, and phase changes of base matrix alloy and the developed composites. The mechanical characterization shows that the insertion of Al2O3 particulates prompted the simultaneous enhancement in microhardness, impact strength, and indentation fracture toughness. The homogeneous dispersion of fine particles caused by the ultrasonic agitations was credited with improving wear resistance. The wear tracks were formed on the worn specimen by adhesion, oxidation, erosion of soft AZ91 magnesium matrix, and the delamination when assessing sliding wear, as revealed by the micro-structural investigation. The eruption of base matrix and the pull-out of the particles have both contributed to the material removal. The addition of reinforcement above a certain limit led to the agglomeration, clustering, and uneven distribution of particles, which resulted in the deterioration in impact toughness and the wear-resistance of the composite.
Graphical Abstract
Similar content being viewed by others
References
B.L. Mordike, T. Ebert, Magnesium properties—applications—potential. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 302, 37–45 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-5093(00)01351-4
A.A. Luo, Magnesium casting technology for structural applications. J. Magnes. Alloy. 1, 2–22 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jma.2013.02.002
S. Sakthivelu, P.P. Sethusundaram, M. Meignanamoorthy, M. Ravichandran, Synthesis of metal matrix composites through stir casting process-a review. Mech. Mech. Eng. 22, 357–369 (2018).
W.H. Sillekens, S.R. Agnew, N.R. Neelameggham, S.N. Mathaudhu (ed.), Magnesium Technology 2011 (John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, 2011)
F. Wang, D. Eskin, J. Mi, T. Connolley, J. Lindsay, M. Mounib, A refining mechanism of primary Al3Ti intermetallic particles by ultrasonic treatment in the liquid state. Acta Mater. 116, 354–363 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2016.06.056
S.D. Kumar, M. Ravichandran, M. Meignanamoorthy, S. Sakthivelu, S.V. Alagarsamy, C. Chanakyan, Investigations on properties of Mg-Al2O3 composites fabricated via stir casting route. Mater. Today Proc. 27, 1132–1136 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.01.586
S.F. Hassan, M. Gupta, Effect of particulate size of Al2O3 reinforcement on microstructure and mechanical behavior of solidification processed elemental Mg. J. Alloys Compd. 419, 84–90 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2005.10.005
R. Rahmany-Gorji, A. Alizadeh, H. Jafari, Microstructure and mechanical properties of stir cast ZX51/Al2O3p magnesium matrix composites. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 674, 413–418 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2016.07.057
P. Samal, B. Surekha, P.R. Vundavilli, Experimental investigations on microstructure, mechanical behavior and tribological analysis of AA5154/SiC Composites by Stir Casting. Silicon 14, 3317–3328 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-021-01115-2
D. Sameer Kumar, K.N.S. Suman, C. Tara Sasanka, K. Ravindra, P. Poddar, S.B. Venkata Siva, Microstructure, mechanical response and fractography of AZ91E/Al2O3 (p) nano composite fabricated by semi solid stir casting method. J. Magnes. Alloy. 5, 48–55 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jma.2016.11.006
S.S. Wu, D. Yuan, S. Lin. Lü, K. Hu, P. An, Nano-SiCP particles distribution and mechanical properties of Al-matrix composites prepared by stir casting and ultrasonic treatment. China Foundry 15, 203–209 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41230-018-8009-2
A.S. Verma, M.S. Cheema, S. Kant, N.M. Suri, Porosity study of developed Al–Mg–Si/bauxite residue metal matrix composite using advanced stir casting process. Arab. J. Sci. Eng. 44, 1543–1552 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-018-3613-4
P.K. Ghosh, S. Ray, Effect of porosity and alumina content on the high temperature mechanical properties of compocast aluminium alloy-alumina particulate composite. J. Mater. Sci. 22, 4077–4086 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01133361
T. Tokarski, Effect of rapid solidification on the structure and mechanical properties of AZ91 magnesium alloy. Solid State Phenom. 186, 120–123 (2012). https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.186.120
Q.B. Nguyen, M. Gupta, Increasing significantly the failure strain and work of fracture of solidification processed AZ31B using nano-Al2O3 particulates. J. Alloys Compd. 459, 244–250 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2007.05.038
D. Kumar, L. Thakur, Recent studies on the fabrication of magnesium based metal matrix nano-composites by using ultrasonic stir casting technique–a review. Mater. Sci. Forum 969, 889–894 (2019). https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.969.889
P.P. Bhingole, G.P. Chaudhari, S.K. Nath, Processing, microstructure and properties of ultrasonically processed in situ MgO–Al2O3–MgAl2O4 dispersed magnesium alloy composites. Compos. Part A Appl. Sci. Manuf. 66, 209–217 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2014.08.001
D. Kumar, L. Thakur, A study of processing and parametric optimization of wear-resistant AZ91–TiB2 composite fabricated by ultrasonic-assisted stir casting process. Surf. Topogr. Metrol. Prop. 10, 025024 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1088/2051-672x/ac7065
P. Mohan, A. Manna, Fabrication and processing of bioabsorbable hybrid Zn/(Ag+Fe+Mg)-MMC on Developed Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Argon Atmosphere Stir Casting Set-up. Arab. J. Sci. Eng. 47, 8361–8372 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-021-06205-2
K.B. Nie, X.J. Wang, K. Wu, X.S. Hu, M.Y. Zheng, Development of SiCp/AZ91 magnesium matrix nanocomposites using ultrasonic vibration. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 540, 123–129 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2012.01.112
M. Bľanda, J. Balko, A.N. Duszova, P. Hvizdos, J. Dusza, H. Reveron, Hardness and indentation fracture toughness of alumina-silicon carbide nanocomposites. Acta Metall. Slovaca Conf. 3, 270–275 (2013). https://doi.org/10.12776/amsc.v3.139
H.M. Abed Zaid, A.R.N. Abed, H.S. Hasan, Improvement of Mechanical Properties of Magnesium (Mg) Matrix Composites Reinforced with Nano Alumina (Al2O3) Particles. IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. 671, 012162 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/671/1/012162
J. Nafar Dastgerdi, G. Marquis, S. Sankaranarayanan, M. Gupta, Fatigue crack growth behavior of amorphous particulate reinforced composites. Compos. Struct. 153, 782–790 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2016.06.071
M. Habibnejad-Korayem, R. Mahmudi, W.J. Poole, Enhanced properties of Mg-based nano-composites reinforced with Al2O3 nano-particles. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 519, 198–203 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2009.05.001
P.K. Rohatgi, P. Ajay Kumar, N.M. Chelliah, T.P.D. Rajan, Solidification processing of cast metal matrix composites over the last 50 years and opportunities for the future. JOM 72, 2912–2926 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-020-04253-x
S.-J. Huang, A.N. Ali, Effects of heat treatment on the microstructure and microplastic deformation behavior of SiC particles reinforced AZ61 magnesium metal matrix composite. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 711, 670–682 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2017.11.020
M. Esmaily, N. Mortazavi, J.E. Svensson, M. Halvarsson, M. Wessén, L.G. Johansson, A.E.W. Jarfors, A new semi-solid casting technique for fabricating SiC-reinforced Mg alloyzs matrix composites. Compos. Part B Eng. 94, 176–189 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.02.019
S.V. Muley, S.P. Singh, P. Sinha, P.P. Bhingole, G.P. Chaudhari, Microstructural evolution in ultrasonically processed in situ AZ91 matrix composites and their mechanical and wear behavior. Mater. Des. 53, 475–481 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2013.07.056
Z. Liu, Q. Han, J. Li, Ultrasound assisted in situ technique for the synthesis of particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composites. Compos. Part B Eng. 42, 2080–2084 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2011.04.004
F. Czerwinski, The oxidation behaviour of an AZ91D magnesium alloy at high temperatures. Acta Mater. 50, 2639–2654 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-6454(02)00094-0
M.C. Gui, J.M. Han, P.Y. Li, J.M. Han, P.Y.L. Microstructure, M.C. Gui, J.M. Han, P.Y. Li, Microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–Al9Zn/SiC p composite produced by vacuum stir casting process Microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–Al9Zn/SiC p composite produced by vacuum stir casting process. Mater. Sci. Technol. 20, 765–771 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1179/026708304225017319
S. Mozammil, J. Karloopia, R. Verma, P.K. Jha, Effect of varying TiB2 reinforcement and its ageing behaviour on tensile and hardness properties of in-situ Al-4.5%Cu-xTiB2 composite. J. Alloys Compd. 793, 454–466 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2019.04.137
H. Dieringa, L. Katsarou, R. Buzolin, G. Szakács, M. Horstmann, M. Wolff, C. Mendis, S. Vorozhtsov, D. StJohn, Ultrasound assisted casting of an AM60 based metal matrix nanocomposite, its properties, and recyclability. Metals 7, 388 (2017). https://doi.org/10.3390/met7100388
Z. Shao, Q. Le, Z. Zhang, J. Cui, A new method of semi-continuous casting of AZ80 Mg alloy billets by a combination of electromagnetic and ultrasonic fields. Mater. Des. 32, 4216–4224 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2011.04.035
G. Prashar, H. Vasudev, Structure-property correlation of plasma-sprayed inconel625-Al2O3 bimodal composite coatings for high-temperature oxidation protection. J. Therm. Spray Technol. 31, 2385–2408 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-022-01466-1
K. Rahmani, G.H. Majzoobi, G. Ebrahim-Zadeh, M. Kashfi, Comprehensive study on quasi-static and dynamic mechanical properties and wear behavior of Mg—B4C composite compacted at several loading rates through powder metallurgy. Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 31, 371–381 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1003-6326(21)65502-4
M. Rashad, F. Pan, M. Asif, J. She, A. Ullah, Improved mechanical proprieties of magnesium based composites with titanium-aluminum hybrids. J. Magnes. Alloy. 3, 1–9 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jma.2014.12.010
S.F. Hassan, M. Gupta, Effect of type of primary processing on the microstructure, CTE and mechanical properties of magnesium/alumina nanocomposites. Compos. Struct. 72, 19–26 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2004.10.008
Funding
The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interests
The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. The authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. The authors have no financial or proprietary interests in any material discussed in this article.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Kumar, D., Thakur, L. Investigation on Mechanical and Wear Performance of Ultrasonic-Assisted Stir Cast AZ91D/Al2O3 Magnesium Matrix Composites. Met. Mater. Int. 29, 2767–2781 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12540-023-01395-w
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12540-023-01395-w