Modelling Tensile Behaviour of Stir-cast Aluminium Matrix Composites (AMCs) Using Factorial Design of Experiments

Aluminium based metal matrix composites (MMCs) with ceramic reinforcement are finding extensive applications in aerospace, automobile, agricultural farm machinery and other areas which demand combination of properties such as high strength, stiffness, wear resistance, high temperature resistance, etc. In particular, components comprising Al7075 alloy matrix, reinforced with alumina (Al2O3) particulates, are reported to excel their monolithic counterparts. Liquid metal route and powder metallurgy are the most widely used fabrication techniques to produce these MMCs. The former has advantages such as easy adaptability, low cost and possibility of subjecting the cast components to secondary processes like forging, rolling and extrusion for producing the final components. This paper presents the details of developing a mathematical model to predict the tensile behavior like ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and percentage elongation of the as-cast Al7075/Al2O3 in terms of size and % fraction of Al2O3, holding temperature and holding time; using factorial design of experiments (DoE). Adequacy of the models was tested using Fisher's F-test. UTS of the composite was increased by 20%compared to that of matrix and % elongation was reduced by around 30%. Keywords: MMC, UTS, % elongation, Design of experiments, Modelling