Author(s)

Simon Godenaan Datau¹, Mohammed Ahmed Bawa², Jacob Shekwonudu Jatau², Muhammad Hamisu Muhammad², Adekunle Sefiu Bello³

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
²Department of Mechanical/Production Engineering, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria.
³Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria.

The use of waste materials to produce engineering components is currently attracting so much interest due to their low cost, availability and environmental impact. In this study, coconut shell ash (CSA) and kyanite particles (KP) produced from coconut shells and kyanite mineral respectively were characterized. X-ray Florence (XRF), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to analyze the oxide compositions, crystalline phases and microstructures of CSA and KP. The XRF analysis revealed major oxides in CSA and KP as SiO₂ and Fe₂O₃; and Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ respectively. The XRD analysis revealed the presence of Quartz, Hematite, Andradite and Gaultite phases at major peaks in diffractogram of CSA; and Quartz and Beryl phases at major peaks in the diffractogram of KP. The crystallite sizes of the quartz phases in CSA and KP at diffraction angle of 26.72°C and 20.91°C were determined as 638.28 Å and 789.38 Å respectively. From the SEM image of CSA, it was observed that particles of different sizes are present in the microstructure of CSA. The average size of the particles in the microstructure of CSA is 26.24 μm. A similar result was observed in the SEM image of KP and average size of the particles is 3.074 μm. Also, the energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrums of CSA and KP revealed the presence of many elements with calcium as the major element in CSA and Aluminium as major element in KP. The presence of the crystalline phases in CSA (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, andradite, gaultite and hematite) and KP (SiO₂ and Al₂O₃) will make them good strengthening materials for the production of Aluminium based composites that can be used in applications where a good combination of strength and wear characteristics is a basic requirement like brake disc.

Kyanite Particles, Coconut Shell Ash, Oxide Compounds, Crystalline Phases, Density and Strengtheners

Datau, S. , Bawa, M. , Jatau, J. , Muhammad, M. and Bello, A. (2020) The Potentials of Kyanite Particles and Coconut Shell Ash as Strengthener in Aluminum Alloy Composite for Automobile Brake Disc. Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering, 8, 84-96. doi: 10.4236/jmmce.2020.83006.