International Journal of Civil and Structural Engineering Research ISSN 2348-7607 (Online) Vol. 7, Issue 2, pp: (97-105), Month: October 2019 - March 2020, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
Fracture Behaviour of Aluminum Reinforced With Silicon Carbide and Borosilicate Glass Engr. Prof. Jim E.O. Ovri1, Engr. Prof. I.C. Madufor2, Nwakiri Ekele C.3 1
Materials And Metallurgical Engineering Department, Federal University Of Technology, Owerri, (F.U.T.O), Nigeria. E-mail: james.ovri@futo.edu.ng, Phone No. 0803-210-5902 2
Polymer And Textile Engineering Department, Federal University Of Technology, Owerri, (F.U.T.O), Nigeria.
3
Corresponding Author And Master Of Engineering Scholar, Materials And Metallurgical Engineering Department, Federal University Of Technology, Owerri, (F.U.T.O.), Nigeria. E-mail Address: ekelezebunwa@gmail.com
Abstract: The fabrication of Engineering materials with properties combination of high hardness, impact resistance, ductility and light weights can only be obtained from metallic super alloy materials, which has led to the development of metal matrix composites, (MMC). Aluminium/Silicon carbide and Aluminium/Boro-silicate glass materials, were separately fabricated owing to their low density, high temperature strengths, etc. Stir-casting process of fabrication was adopted because of it’s simplicity and flexibility, and also the use of sand mould. The metal matrix composites (MMC’s) bars and circular plates are prepared with varying the reinforced particles by weight fraction ranging from, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%. The average reinforced particle size of silicon carbide and also borosilicate glass was 100μm. The mechanical tests of hardness, impact, ductility and tensile tests were carried out. Also the specific weights were also evaluated. From the various mechanical tests and the physical property evaluation results it shows that aluminium reinforced with borosilicate glass material increases in strength and decreased specific weight with increasing reinforcement, and that 25% borosilicate glass reinforcement provides the best mechanical hardness and tensile strengths and also the best physical properties. Metallographic analysis of the specimens, using Optical microscopic process, shows even particle distribution of reinforcements. Keywords: Silicon carbide, borosilicate glass, Aluminium alloy, Al6063, Stir casting, hardness, impact, ductility, tensile strength.
I. INTRODUCTION Composite materials have been one of the major areas of scientific and applied research for many decades; however, only in the past decade they have been viewed and applied as engineering materials. Today we have significant progress and advances in our understanding of these materials and their metallurgical behaviour. The greatest advantage is in the fact that we can inherit properties of both, the metal matrix and the reinforcements, providing a material with properties which can meet specific and challenging requirements in many applications[26]. Metal Matrix Composites (MMC’s) have very light weight, high strength, and stiffness and exhibit greater resistance to corrosion, oxidation and wear. These properties are not achievable with lightweight monolithic titanium, magnesium, and aluminium alloys. Particulate metal matrix composites have nearly isotropic properties when compared to long fibre reinforced composite. But the mechanical behavior of the composite depends on the matrix material composition, size, and weight fraction of the reinforcement and method utilized to manufacture the composite [28]. The distribution of the
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