Study on Mechanical, Wear and Thermal Properties of AL2O3/Graphite Reinforced AA2024 Aluminum Alloy Based Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract: Metal matrix composites (MMC) play a vital role to satisfy global needs for low low-cost and high-performance mechanical, and thermal properties and quality materials in the composite industry.Aluminium MMCs are preferred to other conventional materials in the fields of aerospace, automotive and marine applications owing to theirimproved propertieslike high strength-to-weightratio, good wear resistance, etc. In the present work, an attempt has been made to synthesize metalmatrix composite using AA2024 as matrix material reinforced with Al2O3 and Graphite (Gr) particulates using a liquid metallurgy route in particularstir casting technique. 2024 aluminium alloyis reinforced by different weight fractions of Al2O3 and Gr particles up to 5 wt%. The effect of wt% of Al2O3 and Gr on the properties such as density, hardness, tensile strength, wear rate, flexural strength, and coefficient of thermal expansion were evaluated. Scanning electron microscope and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to examine the microstructure of the produced hybrid MMC composite. The addition of Al2O3 and Gr pronounced improved mechanical properties and wear. Results indicated that aluminium ceramic composites can be considered as an alternate material for AA2024, where high strength and wear-resistant components are of major importance,particularly in the aerospace and automotive engineering sectors.