Elevated Temperatures Tensile Characteristics of Cast A356/Al₂O₃ Nanocomposites Fabricated Using a Combination of Rheocasting and Squeeze Casting Techniques

El-Sayed Youssef El-Kady, Tamer Samir Mahmoud, Mohamed Abdel-Aziz Sayed

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DOI: 10.4236/msa.2011.25050                

Abstract

In the present investigation, the tensile properties of A356/Al₂O₃ nanocomposites at both ambient and elevated temperatures were studied. The A356/Al₂O₃ nanocomposites were fabricated using a combination between the rheocasting and squeeze casting techniques. The A356 matrix alloy was reinforced with Al₂O₃ nanoparticulates having average sizes of 60 nm and 200 nm with different volume fractions up to 5 vol%. The results revealed that the A356/Al₂O₃ nanocomposites exhibited better mechanical properties than the A356 monolithic alloy. Such improvement in the mechanical properties was observed at both room and elevated temperatures up to 300°C. Increasing the volume fraction and/or reducing the size of Al₂O₃ nanoparticulates increase both the tensile and yield strengths of the nanocomposites.

Keywords

Nanocomposites, Mechanical Properties, Rhecocasting, Squeeze Casting, Aluminum Alloys

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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