Experimental investigation and characterization of titanium diboride reinforced AA6063 in-situ composites

Abstract

Aluminium matrix composites have gained interest recently because they are more efficient, lighter, and less expensive. The purpose of this current study was to examine the effects of various casting operating conditions, including stirring temperature, stirring time, and stirring speed, on the casting process. Determining the optimum processing parameters to achieve significant outcomes could be the most daunting problem while casting a specimen. Box-Behnken design based on response surface methods was used to investigate the effects of stir casting factors on the mechanical properties of AA6063%–4% TiB _2 composites. The response’s real value, which includes hardness before heat treatment, hardness after heat treatment, and tensile strength, is reflected in the surface plot created by statistical software. F-ratio is often used in an ANOVA table to examine how operational variables affect properties of the material. Dispersion of the reinforcements mixture has been studied and characterized under scanning electron microscope and x-ray diffraction spectrometer. The optimum temperature, time, and rotational speed were 823.662 °C, 15 min, and 300 rpm. Composite materials made from aluminium 6063 are extensively used in the fabrication of lightweight aircraft components like ribs and fuselages.

Keywords

• liquid metallurgy technique
• in-situ composites
• response surface methodology
• optimization