ABSTRACT
Metal matrix composite (MMC’s) using Aluminum Alloy matrix (AA) 2900 and 2024 with ceramic reinforcements SiC and Al2O3 has been fabricated through powder metallurgy technique for this study. MMC with weight% range of 3-9% and 10 micron particle sized SiC and Al2O3 are used to fabricate the composites. The bulk property and Stress strain behavior of aluminum alloy composites were observed to improve with addition of ceramic content and microwave processing. AA 2024 with 6 wt.% Al2O3 MMC’s were displaying improved Density-hardness behavior, strength characteristics and stress-strain characteristics when the samples are subjected to microwave sintering process. AA 2900-6 wt% Al2O3 composite displayed decent ductility and formability properties closer to AA 2024-6 wt.% Al2O3 composite. Excellent microstructural bonding was witnessed in the MMC’s, which is attributed to 10 μm Al2O3 particulate used as reinforcement and the microwave sintering.
