A Comparative Study on the Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Al 6061 Alloy and the MMC Al 6061/TiB₂/12_p

T.V. Christy, N. Murugan, S. Kumar

Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, South India.
CSI College of Engineering, Ketti, South India.
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, South India.

DOI: 10.4236/jmmce.2010.91005                

Abstract

Al 6061 alloy is widely used for commercial applications in the transportation, construction and similar engineering industries. It possesses excellent mechanical properties in addition to good corrosion resistance due to which the alloy finds extensive application in naval vessels manufacturing. Al-TiB₂ composite is a metal matrix composite (MMC) that can be manufactured using the in-situ salt-metal reaction. With TiB₂ as the particulate addition the properties of Al 6061 alloy can be greatly improved. A comparison of the mechanical properties and the microstructure of Al 6061 alloy with Al–TiB2 metal matrix composite containing 12% by weight TiB_2p manufactured through the in-situ process was presented.

Keywords

Al 6061 alloy, Al-TiB₂ Metal matrix Composite (MMC), Aluminium Matrix Composite (AMC)

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Sharma, S.C., Girish,B., Kamath, R., and Sathish, B.M., (1999) Fractography, Fluidity and Tensile Properties of Aluminium/Hematile Particle Composite, Journal of Materials Engineering Performance, 8(3): 309-314.
[2]	Sharma, S.C., Seah, K.H.W., Sathish B.M., and Ginish, B.M. (1996) Effect of Short Glass Fibers on Mechanical Properties of Cast Al6061 Alloy Composites, Material Design, 17(5/6): 245-250.
[3]	Sharma, S.C. (2000) Albite Particles on the Co–efficient of Thermal Expansion Behavior of the Al6061 alloy Composites, Metallurgical & Materials Transaction A 31: 773-780.
[4]	Tjong, S.C., and Ma, Z.Y The High-Temperature Creep Behavior of Al Matrix Composites reinforced with SiC, Al2 O3 and TiB2 Particles, Composite Science Technology, 57(197): 697-702.
[5]	Akbulut, H., Durman, M., and Yilmaz, F.,(1998) Higher Temperature Young’s Modulus of Aluminium Short Fiber Reinforced Al-SiC MMCs Produced by Liquid Infiltration, Composite Science Technology, 14: 299-305.
[6]	Seah K.H.W., Sharma, S.C., and Krishna, M., (March 2006) Damping Behavior of Al 6061/Albite MMCs, Journal of ASTM International, 3(3) Paper ID 5A1 12394
[7]	Bishop, J.E., and Kinar, V.K., (1995) Anlaysis of Electro Thermodynamic Damping in Particle–Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites, Mcfall-Metallurgical Transaction A, 26(a): 2773-2782.
[8]	Surappa M.K., (Feb/April 2003) Aluminium Matrix Composites: Challenge and Opportunities, Sadhana, 28 (Part1&2): 319-334.
[9]	Y. M. Yousef, R.J. Dashwood, P.D. Lee. (2005), Effect of Clustering on Particle Pushing and Solidification Behaviour in TiB2 Reinforced Al PMMCs, Composites 36 (A): 747-763.
[10]	Morteson. A., Jin,(1992) Solidification Processing of MMCs, International Material Rev. 37(3): 101-28 20.
[11]	Srivatsan T.S., Meslet Al-Hajai, B. Hotton and P. C. Larn.,(2002) Effect of Particulate Silicon Carbide on Cyclic Plastic Strain Response and Fracture Behaviour of 6061 Aluminium alloy MMC, Applied Composite Materials,9: 131-153.
[12]	Feng C.F., Froyen, L., (2000) Microstructure of in-situ Al/TiB2 MMCs Prepared by a Casting Route, Journal of Material Sciences 35: 837-850.
[13]	Yuyoung chen, Chung, D. D.L. (1996), In-Situ Al-TiB2 Composite Obtained by Stir Casting, Journal of Material science 31: 311-315.
[14]	Jha. A., Dometakis. C. (1997), The Dispersion Mechanism of TiB2 Ceramic Phase in Molten Aluminium and its Alloys, Material Design 18(4): 297-301.
[15]	Schumacher.P., Greer.Al.(1996), High-resolution TEM of Grain-retaining Particles in Amorphous Aluminium Alloys, Proceedings of the International Conference on Light Metals, Warrendale, PA-Minerals, Metals and Materials Society/AIME: pp.745-53.
[16]	Forster. (2002), Manufacturing Centrifugal Casting of an Al-TiB2 Composite, Ph.D. Thesis. Imperial College, London.
[17]	Kennedy. A R., Wyayy. SM., (2000) Effect of Processing on the Mechanical Properties and Interfacial Strength of Aluminium TiC MMCs, Composite Science Technology 60(2): 307-14.