Fabrication and Microstructure Study of Aluminum Matrix Composites Reinforced with SiC and B₄C Particulates

Abstract

In the present paper aluminum matrix composites were fabricated using base material AA6082-T6. SiC and B4C particulates were used as reinforcement to obtain hybrid and non-hybrid composites through the conventional stir casting process. AA6082-T6/SiC composites with 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt % of SiC; AA6082-T6/B4C composites with 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt % of B4C and AA6082-T6/(SiC+B4C) hybrid composites with 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt % of (SiC+B4C) taking equal fraction of SiC and B4C were made and the microstructure study was carried out. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revels the presence of reinforcement within the matrix along with some other compounds. The microstructure of the fabricated composites was examined with the help of Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the micrographs revealed that the dispersion of reinforced particles was reasonably uniform at all weight percentages.