Comparison between the Effect of Adding MSGNP and B4C-WC Nanoparticles on the Metallurgical and Mechanical Characterization of Al-7075 Composites Produced by Stir Casting

Abstract

Metal Matrix Composite (MCC) reveals considerably better properties, such as low density, high tensile strength, hardness, and good resistance to wear compared with every alloy or other metal. The current study concentrated upon the assessment of the properties of aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) synthesis with the Al-7075 as a matrix and the MSGNPs that sieved to (35 nm) at different weight fractions percentages as reinforcements using stir-casting method and compared with Al7075/B4C-WC nanocomposites. These experiments aim to select the appropriate type and percentage of reinforcement particles for producing Al-7075 composites with the best mechanical properties. The mechanical properties, as well as the metallurgical features for analyzing the microstructure and the distribution of (MSGNP, SiC-WC) into the composite alloy specimens, have been studied utilizing the mechanical tests and the Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) SEM pictures. By reviewing the mechanical test results, they manifested that the value of the composite's ultimate strength was enhanced with the additive concentration of nanoglass. The maximum tensile strength was obtained for the sample comprising 4% MSGNP—the composite with 6 wt.% B4C and WC have the highest hardness value, which means the increase of the added composite material beyond 10% will decrease the hardness. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) examination results illustrate the various phases of the two-theta value-generated diffraction patterns for the Al-7075/MSGNP and Al-7075/B4C-WC workpieces materials. These examinations show that the matrix of Al and the clear glass are the two major composite constituents and contain B4C, WC, and aluminum matrix, which are consistent with what was shown by the optical microstructure of the composite. The Al-7075 microstructure analysis also demonstrated a virtuous metallic bonding between the particles of Al and the uniformly dispersed and transparent glass particles at the optimal addition of 8wt%. Such enhancement was ascribed to the reinforcement's sufficiency and the uniform dispersion of MSGNP. Therefore, the addition of 8 wt.% was chosen in the present work.

Keywords

• metal matrix composite
• microscopic slide glass nanoparticles
• boron carbide
• tungsten carbide
• aluminum 7075
• stir casting