1. Presentation
for
Minor Project

2. Development of
Aluminum alloy – Silicon Carbide composite
(AMC)
&
it’s wear resistance characterization.
Prepared by :Yogesh Baghel

3. Contents
1.Introduction
2.Importance
3.Essence of aluminum alloy
4.Literature survey
a) What is MMC ?
b) How it is manufactured ?
c) Advantages of MMC.
5.Plan of our work.
6.Expected outcomes.
7.Experimental procedure.
8.Essence of aluminum alloy
9.Consideration of wear resistance.
10.Microstructure analysis.
11.Conclusion.
12.Reference.

4. Introduction
A new class of structural materials has emerged as new
generation engineering materials, which are gaining popularity
in recent times due to some advantages they have over other
materials.
Composite materials, often shortened to composites or
called composition materials, are engineered or naturally
occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials
with significantly different physical or chemical
properties which remain separate and distinct at
the macroscopic or microscopic scale within the finished
structure. Composite materials are usually used for producing
high-performance products.

5. Importance
At present it is very essential to choose a perfect
material for a particular application. It is very tough to get all
characteristics in one material so there is a need of combine
the properties of two or more material. For this the idea of
composite is generated. And various experiment regarding
these has been done.

6. Essence of aluminum alloy
Aluminum is selected as a composite
material because of the following advantages –
•Good thermal conductivity.
•Good corrosion resistant.
•Low density.
•High strength to weight ratio.

7. What is MMC ?
A composite material in which one constituent is
metal or alloy forming at least one percolating network.
The other constituent is embedded in this metal matrix
and usually serves as reinforcement.
This project involves production of MMC made of
aluminium alloy reinforced with Silicon Carbide to
develop wear resistance properties.

8. How it is manufactured ?
MMC manufacturing can be broken into three
types: solid, liquid and vapor.
Solid state methods
1.Powder blending and consolidation (powder
metallurgy): Powdered metal and discontinuous
reinforcement are mixed and then bonded through a
process of compaction, degassing, and thermomechanical treatment.
2.Foil diffusion bonding: Layers of metal foil are
sandwiched with long fibers, and then pressed through
to form a matrix.

9. Liquid state methods
1.Electroplating / Electroforming: A solution containing metal
ions loaded with reinforcing particles is co-deposited forming
a composite material.
2.Stir casting: Discontinuous reinforcement is stirred into
molten metal, which is allowed to solidify.
3.Squeeze casting: Molten metal is injected into a form with
fibers preplaced inside it.
4.Spray deposition: Molten metal is sprayed onto a continuous
fiber substrate.
5.Reactive processing: A chemical reaction occurs, with one of
the reactants forming the matrix and other the reinforcement.

10. Vapor deposition
1. Physical vapor deposition: The fiber is passed through a
thick cloud of vaporized metal, coating it.
Controlled unidirectional solidification of a eutectic
alloy can result in a two-phase microstructure with one of the
phases, present in lamellar or fiber form, distributed in the
matrix.

11. Advantage of MMC
•
•
•
•
Light Weight
Performance at higher temperatures
High Strength
Low Density, Better wear resistance.

12. Plan of work
Phase 1
Size gradation-
The reinforced material’s size gradation has been
selected through sieve shaking.
Phase 2
Production of MMC-
This will be done by using foundry method.
Aluminium Alloy is matrix material whereas SiC is
reinforcement material. MMC will be produced using 3 phase
Electric Resistance Furnace for melting and stirrer is used for
stirring the melt. This is also called as the Stir Cast Method.
Production of casting-
Liquid metal will be poured into preheated cast iron
moulds and allowed to solidify.

13. Al-SiC composite made by us

14. Phase 3
Characterization –
Abrasive Wear Testing, Investigation of microstructure of
the composite using Optical Microscopy and SEM and Hardness
Tests.
A rough sketch of the 3-body Abrasive Wear Testing Equipment.

15. Expected outcome
•Microscopic Examinations of composites by SEM (Scanning
Electron Microscope) will show the distribution of
reinforcement particles in Aluminium Alloy matrix.
•The wear resistance of composites is much greater than the
commercially pure aluminium.
•Different wear mechanisms has to be operated under the test
conditions of variation of normal loads, composition, and
sliding velocity .
• Analysis and comparison of different test will be conducted
and then according to the results obtained conclusion will be
drawn.

16. •Fabrication of Abrasive Wear Testing machine will help in
finding out the wear characteristics of composite.
•SiC is a good abrasive material so reinforcement of SiC will
lead to better wear properties.
•It is therefore expected that the incorporation of SiC particles in
Aluminium Alloy will help to develop a wear resistance type of
material.
•The composites produced are likely to overcome the cost barrier
for wide spread applications in automotive and small engine
applications.

17. Experimental procedure
In the present investigation the MMC has been
developed in the lab stir caster (supplied by VB ceramic
chennai). Non oxide Ceramic particles like SiC of mesh size
200 has been incorporated as a reinforced particle as its
melting point is of higher range. Due to unavailability of Pure
Al, we have chosen commercial aluminum alloy where silicon
content is in micro lavel. In the first phase of the work, the
reinforced material’s size gradation has been selected through
sieve shaking . Through size gradation we have got different
grade from 85 to 500 mesh. We have chosen 200 mesh for our
experiment as it is very fine as well as to be homogenized.

18. In second phase of the work, the said reinforced material has
been taken to stir caster and pour into the semi viscous alumina
matrix at almost 680 c. and stirring was immediately done for 510 min having a rpm range of 400 to 500. after proper settling of
the injected composite was collected and immediately normalize
for almost 30 min.
the so called metal was taken to the diamond cutter
machine and the cutting part was taken for polishing and etching
in order to make it favorable to micro structural analysis.
The microstructure analysis was initially performed in
image analyzer and the result has been shown in microstructure
analysis slide.
the pending works like hardness testing, wear resistance
testing and SEM analysis will be performed in the third phase of
this investigation.

19. Consideration of wear resistance
•Wear is a phenomenon observed at the surfaces, whenever
there is a relative motion between two surfaces. It is a
progressive loss of material subjected to load and relative
motion.
•Erosive wear is the severest type of wear.
•Aluminum Composites are mainly used in machinery, aircraft
and automobile industry.
•Hence, it becomes necessary to check the effectiveness of the
composite we produce by wear resistance test before putting it
into application.

20. Microstructure analysis-1
Pure aluminum
Magnification = X10
Fig 1
Al-SiC composite
Magnification = X10
Fig 2

21. Microstructure analysis-2
Al-SiC composite
Fig 3
Magnification = X5

22. Microstucture analysis-3
Al-SiC composite
Fig 4
Magnification = X100

23. Conclusion
In the present investigation an attempt has been given
to establish the initial works (phase 1, phase 2 & part of phase
3). From the microstructure study through image analyzer , it
is clear that our selected reinforced material (SiC) has been
able-bodied throughout the aluminum matrix as shown in fig
3 .fig 1 has been checked at a magnification range of X10.
fig 4 has been taken at X100 and this shows a clear
vision of our SiC in an exposed mode.

24. Understanding
While grinding the MMC, we have faced a problem as
the material becomes hard rather than soft aluminum itself.
This phenomenon encourages us to go into the wear
investigation and simultaneously same test will give us the
detail topography of the surface at higher magnification. So we
will go accordingly in near future.

25. Reference
1. www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_matrix_composite
2. Basics of Metal Matrix Composites - Wiley-VCH
www.wiley-vch.de/books/sample/3527313605_c01.pdf

26. Thank
You