Fabrication of Al6061-Al₂O₃ composite through liquid metallurgy technique

Aluminium Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) are preferred to other conventional materials in the fields of aerospace, automotive and marine applications owing to their improved properties like high strength to weight ratio, good wear resistance etc. In the present work, an attempt has been made to synthesize Al6061-Al₂O₃particulate metal matrix composites by liquid metallurgy route (stir casting technique). Aluminium metal matrix composite was fabricated with Al6061 alloy as a matrix and Al₂O₃ as a reinforcement material. Reinforcement was added in the range of 0, 3 and 6 percentage by weight into the molten alloy, hence the Al6061 metal matrix composite was produced and their properties were estimated. Micro-Vickers hardness of the composite was found to increase with increase in filler content in the composite. Along with the hardness, compressive strength and the corrosion resistance properties of composite material steadily increases with the increase in the reinforcement particles in the matrix. Besides that the impact strength of composite was found to decrease with the enhancement of the ceramic reinforcement particle Al₂O₃ into the Al6061 alloy matrix.