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Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Welded SiC/TiB2 Reinforced Aluminum Hybrid Composites

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Abstract

In the recent decades, the use of aluminum alloy has significantly enhanced especially in engineering applications extensively used in shipbuilding, aircraft, structural and automobile applications such as crankshaft, connecting rod and piston etc. This paper illustrates a comprehensive investigation on mechanical behavior of AA6061/Titanium diboride (TiB2)/Silicon carbide (SiC) composites joined by friction stir welding using cylindrical pin tool profile. Various sets of metal matrix composites were prepared by varying TiB2/SiC composition percentages in aluminum matrix using stir casting process. This process is followed by welding of samples by controlled input process parameters. Subsequently, microscopic analysis is performed on the various weld zones namely heat affected zone, thermo-mechanically affected zone and stir zone to observe the grain size and distribution of reinforcement ceramic particles in the matrix. Hardness and tensile tests are carried out to assess the strength of the weldment. Results emphasize that the ultimate tensile strength of the welded specimens is proportional to the weight percentage of TiB2 in the matrix. The maximum hardness observed is 135.56 HV which is marginally greater than the aluminum matrix. Percentage elongation also increased by 2.5% thereby improving the weld specimen’s ductile property.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Centre for Materials Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India & K. Ramakrishnan College of Engineering, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India for the support rendered to this work.

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The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, C. Abdul Hakeem College of Engineering & Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632509, India

    K. S. Ashraff Ali

  2. Centre for Materials Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamilnadu, 600073, India

    V. Mohanavel

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, K. Ramakrishnan College of Engineering, Trichy, Tamilnadu, 621112, India

    M. Ravichandran

  4. Department of Electronics & Communication, Dayananda Sagar University, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

    S. Arungalai Vendan

  5. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 602105, India

    T. Sathish

  6. Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, 641407, India

    A. Karthick

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  1. K. S. Ashraff Ali
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  2. V. Mohanavel
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  3. M. Ravichandran
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  4. S. Arungalai Vendan
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  5. T. Sathish
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  6. A. Karthick
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Contributions

Conceptualization, Methodology, Data Curing, Writing - original draft preparation: [K. S. Ashraff Ali].

Formal analysis and investigation: [V. Mohanavel], [M.Ravichandran] [T.Sathish].

Writing - review and editing: [V. Mohanavel], [S. Arungalaivendan] [A.Karthick].

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to K. S. Ashraff Ali or V. Mohanavel.

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Ali, K.S.A., Mohanavel, V., Ravichandran, M. et al. Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Welded SiC/TiB2 Reinforced Aluminum Hybrid Composites. Silicon 14, 3571–3581 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-021-01114-3

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