A summary of current advancements in hybrid composites based on aluminium matrix in aerospace applications

Abstract

As fuel prices rise and environmental rules become more stringent, there is pressure on the aerospace sector to create lighter, more efficient aircraft. Fuel usage is significantly reduced as a result of using lightweight alloys to make the aircraft as a whole lighter. Composites prepared from aluminium matrix are widely employed in the automotive and aeronautical sectors because of their excellent strength and wear rate characteristics. This study describes the mechanical, corrosion and wear characteristics of hybrid aluminium composites utilized in aeronautical applications. The aircraft industry needs aluminium alloys with better mechanical properties if it is to use them successfully. According to published studies, adding reinforcing particles repeatedly can increase mechanical attributes of prepared composites. As a result of soft and hard reinforcing particles incorporation, the resulting hybrid composites are less brittle and have higher wear resistance. Commonly used ceramic particulates inclusion such as silicon carbide, alumina, zirconium oxide (ZrO2) and aluminium nitride would induced a substantial strength and wear resistance as well as egg shell, coconut shell ash, bagasse ash and groundnut shell ash derivative from agro wastes. Hybrid composites with different types of reinforcement percentage were found to be homogenous and uniform distribution. In conclusion, the analysis reveals that hybrid composites based on aluminium have enormous potential in aircraft sector to replace aluminium alloy as well as composite with single reinforcement where less weight, high performance strength and minimum wear rate are required.

Keywords

• Aerospace
• aluminium matrix composites
• applications of AMCs
• processing of AMCs
• mechanical and microstructural properties