TITLE:
Corrosion Behavior of Alumina Reinforced Aluminium (6063) Metal Matrix Composites
AUTHORS:
K. K. Alaneme, M. O. Bodunrin
KEYWORDS:
Stir casting; Al (6063) – Al2O3 composite; solution heat-treatment; Corrosion rate; mass loss
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering,
Vol.10 No.12,
October
10,
2011
ABSTRACT: The influence of alumina volume percent and solution heat-treatment on the corrosion behaviour
of Al (6063) composites and its monolithic alloy in salt water, basic and acidic environments is
investigated. Al (6063) – Al2O3 particulate composites containing 6, 9, 15, and 18 volume percent alumina were produced by adopting two step stir casting. Mass loss and corrosion rate measurements were utilized as criteria for evaluating the corrosion behaviour of the composites.
It is observed that Al (6063) – Al2O3 composites exhibited excellent corrosion resistance in NaCl
medium than in the NaOH and H2SO4 media. The unreinforced alloy exhibited slightly superior
corrosion resistance than the composites in NaCl and NaOH media but the composites had
better corrosion resistance in H2SO4 medium. Furthermore, solution heat-treatment resulted in
improved corrosion resistance for both the composites and the unreinforced alloy while the
effect of volume percent alumina on corrosion resistance did not follow a consistent trend.