The Effect of Process Parameter on Metal Matrix Composite (Al+4%Cu+5%Sic) By Stir Casting

During the last two decades, metal matrix composites (MMCs) have emerged as an important class of materials for structural, wear, thermal, transportation and electrical applications. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) possess significantly improved properties including high specific strength; specific modulus, damping capacity and good wear resistance compared to unreinforced alloys. There are several techniques to produce composites, such as liquid state, solid state and semi-solid state production route. Among the entire liquid state production route stir casting route are simplest and cheapest. The aim of our project is to produce a composite with cheap and simple production route i.e. stir casting method. We have chosen 5 % SiC as the reinforcement material and balanced Al + 4 % Cu as matrix phase. In this thesis, the grit sizes of SiC have been changed 400, 600 and 800 mesh and tried to observe that the effect of grit sizes of SiC on mechanical properties with vary pouring temperatures 700, 725 and 750°C. The best value of BHN, Impact and UTS has been obtained at optimum pouring temperature 725°C. The pouring rate kept constant at 2.5cm/s for all composites. The mechanical properties as hardness, impact and tensile strength were enhanced with increasing grit size (400, 600 and 800 mesh) of reinforcement SiC particles. Using SPSS 17.0