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Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 26948–26954 www.materialstoday.com/proceedings

ICAMM_2016

Review on wear characteristics of aluminum silicon carbide

reinforced with basalt fibre
Yashwanth Kumar Ma*, Dhanasekaran Ra, Sreenatha Reddya and Vijayakumar Ba
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Guru Nanak Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, 501506, India

Abstract

In industrial or research field the most widely used engineering material is aluminium due to their light weight and high strength.
The most important factor of high strength-to-weight ratio for Aluminium-Silicon (Al-Si) has made it extraordinarily useful in
the area of composite materials because the eutectic composition of Al-Si alloys is α and β structures. Metal matrix composites
(MMCs) have proven their prowess, overpowering pure metals in terms of increased mechanical properties. Material mixed in
proper ratio with reinforcement can eject increased tensile and hardness properties of the composite. There are different
methodologies of fabricating composites like stir casting, liquid infiltration etc., while using these methods with proper
parameters. Previous research papers shown that the usage of fly-ash as reinforcement with Al-Si as base metal in between 2-
12% is acceptable to indicate improved wear resistance and mechanical properties along with co-efficient of friction and dry
sliding behavior of Al-Si-fly-ash metal matrix composite. A dramatic decrease in hardness and tensile properties has been
observed in several cases of Al-Si-Fly-ash composites, whose weight percentage of fly-ash goes beyond 10% indicating
continuous increment in hardness and tensile properties with certain limitations proposed. To overcome such a problem, it is
proposed an addition of basalt fiber in certain weight percentage to test mechanical properties.
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and/or Peer-review under responsibility of ICAMM-2016.

Keywords: Aluminium, Silicon Carbide, Fly-ash, Metal Matrix Composites, TiB2.

1. Introduction

Metallic matrix composites are combinations of two or more different metals, intermatallic compounds or second
phases in which dispersed phases are embedded within the metallic matrix [1]. Aluminum alloy and their composites

* Corresponding author: Tel.: (91) 77029 57287

E-mail address: [email protected]

2214-7853 © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selection and/or Peer-review under responsibility of ICAMM-2016.
 Yashwanth Kumar M/ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 26948–26954 26949

have been successfully developed through the stir casting based liquid processing route with fairly uniform
dispersion of basalt. The addition of short basalt significantly improves the yield strength and the ultimate tensile
strength of Aluminum alloy, when compared with that of unreinforced matrix. The ultimate tensile strength of
A7075 with basalt composite when reinforced with 6 % is increased by 65.51% [2]. Wear rate increases with
increasing load over a range of speed, with the exception of the composite with the smallest particulate size where it
fails readily when sliding exceeds 1 m/s. Wear rate varies in a rather complex manner with speed. Depending on the
regime, wear either increases or decreases with increasing sliding speed [3].
Improved wear resistance of composites can be attributed to the presence of SiC particles which reduce the
propensity for material flow at the surface, and the formation of iron-rich layers on the surfaces of composites during
sliding. The wear resistance of the composite material increases with the addition of graphite content till 4% and
then decreases [4]. The hardness and wear values decrease up to certain amount and then remain unaffected further
because of dependence on various factors such as wettability and bonding between matrix and reinforcement.
Depending on the microstructure and particle size, shape and distribution in the matrix alloy. The reinforcement of
basalt short fiber led to an evident grain refinement improve mechanical, damping, tribological and wear properties
[5]. With the increase in the applied normal load, the wear rate was observed to increase and the coefficient of
friction decreases [6]. With experimentation it was found that the wear rate decreases linearly with increasing weight
fraction of silicon carbide and average coefficient of friction decreases linearly with increasing normal load and
weight fraction of SiC [7].
Metal matrix composite of Aluminum with 15% weight percentage of fly-ash particulates are resistant to wear
increases with increase in fly-ash percentage [8]. Silicate particles with fly ash materials were incorporated into
aluminum alloy matrix to accomplish reduction in wear resistance and improve the mechanical properties [10].
Aluminum alloy 7075 composites containing short basalt fiber of content ranging from 2.5 to 10 percent by weight
resulted significant increases in the ultimate tensile strength, hardness, compressive strength and Young’s modulus
[9]. Al-4.5%, Cu alloy, fly ash and silicon carbide (SiC) matrix components used as reinforcements which resulted in
that there is an increase in hardness and dry sliding wear with increase in the particulates content [11]. Al-Cu
particulate composite with the variation of weight percentage of mica reinforcement has high wear resistance and
sliding increases upto 15 times [12]. The present study deals with the wear characterization of aluminum based
hybrid composites developed by stir casting for advanced applications. It has been proposed that application of these
composites as secondary reinforcements is explored in wide range for the development of Aluminum Metal matrix
composites. It is discussed and reviewed on the reinforcement and wear characteristics of the Aluminium Metal
Matrix composites.

2. Literature review

Md. Habibur Rahman and H.M. Mamun Al Rashed [1] studied that aluminium matrix composite of varying SiC
content (0, 5, 10 and 20 wt. %) were prepared using stir casting fabrication technique. Microstructural aspects,
hardness, tensile strength and wear characteristics of the prepared composites were studied. Addition of SiC in Al
matrix increased wear resistance. An increase with increasing SiC content in Al matrix, 20wt. % SiC reinforced
AMC showed maximum wear resistance.
Aswin N Varghese, PV Pradeep [4] studied wear characteristics and mechanical properties on Aluminium
Matrix Composites (AMCs) reinforced with silicon carbide (SiC) and graphite (Gr) particles are carried out shown
in fig.1. Al6063 is used as matrix material with fixed quantity of SiC of 10 Wt% and varying graphite quantity from
2 to 6 Wt%. The composite were fabricated by using Friction stir casting (FSC) method. The friction and wear
characteristics of the composite is investigated under dry sliding condition and compared with original aluminium
alloy using pin on disk method at normal loads and at constant velocity. The wear mechanism of composites and
original alloy is compared by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of the worn surfaces and concluded
that wear resistance of the composite material increases with the addition of graphite content till 4% and then
decreases.
26950 Yashwanth Kumar M/ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 26948–26954

Fig 2.1 Cumulative mass loss of AMC’s as a function of time [1]

S.A. Alidokht et al [14] studied the friction stir processing (FSP) was utilized to incorporate SiC and MoS2
particles into the matrix of an A356 Al alloy to form surface hybrid composite. A constant tool rotation rate of 1600
rpm and travel speed of 50 mm/min with a tool tilt angle of 3_ was used. The wear resistance of the processed
samples improved significantly as compared to that of the as-cast alloy. Thus MoS2 layer is considered to stifle
plastic deformation and thus, to improve tribological properties of the alloy. J.K.M. Kwok, S.C. Lim[3] investigated
over a wide range of sliding conditions by the use of a specially adapted high-speed tester of the pin-on-disk
configuration in which two of the composites tested were fabricated in-house by a powder metallurgy route
incorporating mechanical alloying two commercially sourced composites were also tested for comparison. Generally
wear rate increased with increasing load, but it varied in a rather complex manner with speed depending on which
regime the sliding condition fell into. Prasad and Shobha [13] have observed the microstructural characteristics of
hybrid composites reinforced by SiC and rice husk ash (RHA) particles.
The uniform distribution of reinforcing particles was revealed during the examination. The results indicated that
it is possible to obtain nearly uniform distribution of particles in the hybrid composites. But, various parameters
need to be controlled and optimized during fabrication process. However, the successful incorporation of reinforcing
particles shows that it is possible to obtain the hybrid composites with isotropic set of properties. M.Ramachandra
[8] investigated that Aluminium based metal matrix composite containing up to 15% weight percentage of fly-ash
particulates were successfully synthesized using vortex method in which the properties like density, hardness, micro
hardness, ductility and ultimate tensile strength were investigated. The addition of fly-ash particles reduces the
density of composite while increasing some of their mechanical properties. The results of wear studies have shown
that the resistance to wear increases with increase in percentage of fly-ash fig.2.2 (a) and 2.2 (b).

Fig 2.2(a) Photo-macrograph of Al-10% fly-ash MMC. SEM Fig 2.2(b) SEM micrograph of unreinforced matrix material.SEM
micrograph of Al-15% fly-ash composite [8] micrograph of Al-15% flyash composite [8]

S. Suresha, B.K. Sridhara[15] conducted studies that dry sliding wear behaviour of Al matrix composites
reinforced with Graphite and Silicon Carbide particulate up to 10% and studied the effect of percentage
reinforcement, load, sliding speed and sliding distance on stir cast Al–SiC–Gr hybrid composites, Al–Gr and Al–SiC
 Yashwanth Kumar M/ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 26948–26954 26951

composites. Parametric studies indicate that the wear of hybrid composites has a tendency to increase beyond
percentage reinforcement of 7.5% as its values are 0.0242 g, 0.0228 g and 0.0234 g respectively at 3%, 7.5% and
10% reinforcement. The corresponding values are 0.0254 g, 0.0240 g and 0.0242 g in Al–Gr composites and 0.0307
g, 0.0254 g and 0.0221 g in Al–SiC composites, clearly indicating that hybrid composites exhibit better wear
characteristics. Increase of speed reduces wear and increase of either load or sliding distance or both increases wear.
P.Ravindran et al [18] experimented aluminium (Al) reinforced with graphite(Gr) with 5 wt.% and silicon
carbide (SiC) particle with 20 wt.% in which the tribological and mechanical properties of these composite materials
were investigated under dry sliding conditions. The results of the tests revealed that the SiC-reinforced hybrid
composites exhibited a lower wear loss compared to the unreinforced alloy and Al–Gr composites. It was found that
with an increase in the SiC content, the wear resistance increased monotonically with hardness. The hybridisation of
the two reinforcements also improved the wear resistance of the composites, especially under high sliding speeds.
Additionally, the wear loss of the hybrid composites decreased with increasing applied load and sliding distance,
and a low friction coefficient and low wear loss were achieved at high sliding speeds. T.V. Christy[16] made
comparative study on Al-TiB2 composite which is a metal matrix composite (MMC) that is manufactured using in-
situ salt-metal reaction. With TiB2 as the particulate addition the properties of Al 6061 alloy can be greatly
improved. A comparison of the mechanical properties and the microstructure of Al 6061 alloy with Al–TiB2 metal
matrix composite containing 12% by weight TiB2 manufactured through the in-situ process was presented as shown
in fig.2.3.

Fig 2.3 Optical photomicrograph of Al 6061 and Al-TiB2 composite[16]

R. Karthigeyan et al [2] experimented that the addition of short Basalt fiber with Aluminium-7075 have
significantly improved the hardness, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength without affecting the tensile ductility.
Prashant Kumar[17] experimented a modest attempt that has been made to develop aluminium based MMCs with
reinforcing material, with an objective to develop a conventional low cast method of producing MMCs and to obtain
homogeneous dispersion of reinforced material. Experiment has been conducted by varying weight fraction of Fly
Ash (5% and 15%) while keeping SiC constant(5%) reinforcing with Aluminium Alloy (LM6). The micrographs of
grain morphology of Al(7075) alloy and Basalt fiber reinforced with Al (7075) composite is shown in fig. 2.4. The
result shown that the increase in addition of Fly Ash increases the Wear Resistance, Tensile Strength, Impact
Strength, of the specimen and decreases the percentage of Elongation. The below results are the wear rate and wear
resistance operated under the load 0.5 kg & 1.5kg operated under various speeds.

Fig 2.4 Micrographs of grain morphology of Al(7075) alloy and Basalt fiber reinforced with Al (7075) composite [2].
26952 Yashwanth Kumar M/ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 26948–26954

Table 1: Shows the result of wear rate and wear resistance by keeping load 0.5 kg. Time 5 min., and Disc speed 300 RPM [17]

Sample Composition Wear in Wear rate in Wear Resistance

m mm3/mm in m/mm3
Sample 1 LM6 162 0.024 41.66
Sample 2 +5%SiC+5%F.A. 110 0.016 62.50
Sample 3 +5%SiC+15%F.A. 82 0.012 83.33

Table 2: Shows the result of wear rate and wear resistance by keeping load 1.5 kg. Time 5 min., and Disc speed 300 RPM [17]

Sample Composition Wear in Wear rate in Wear Resistance in

m mm3/mm m/mm3
Sample 1 LM6 186 8.50 x 10-3 117.64
Sample 2 +5%SiC+5%F.A. 128 5.85 x 10-3 170.94
Sample 3 +5%SiC+15%F.A. 94 4.29 x 10-3 233.10

Table 1 and Table 2 shows the results of wear rate and wear resistance for a load of 0.5 kg and 1.5 kg
respectively. It has been observed from the various reviews that aluminium reinforced with various composites like
SiC, fly-ash, graphite, Basalt Fiber of wt percentages (0, 5, 10, 15) led to the wear decrease and increase in the
mechanical properties experimented under various load and sliding conditions.

3. Discussions

Aluminium based composites reinforced with combinations resulted clearly which are becoming an attractive
choice to researchers, engineers and scientists. The most important factor of high strength-to-weight ratio for Al-SiC
has made it extraordinarily useful in the area of composite materials. Material mixed in proper ratio with
reinforcement can eject increased tensile and hardness, wear resistance properties of the hybrid composite. As a
single reinforcement in the Al-alloy due to presence of greater contents of silica (with lower elastic modulus) these
materials cannot be considered. In addition to this, some other particulates such as mica, B4C, TiB2, fly-ash,
graphite, rice husk ash, etc have also shown significant potential as a secondary reinforcement for development of
hybrid composites. It has also been observed that the physical and mechanical behavior of produced composites is
influenced by composition and type of the reinforcement. The increasing trend in wear resistance can improve the
indentation characteristics of the components. Therefore Aluminium, SiC reinforced with other composites can be
used for developing the components in which the tribological properties are the primary requirements.

3.1. Al composite with SiC

Form [1] and [3] it is observed that in the AMCs of varying SiC content (0, 5, 10 and 20 wt. %), Wear resistance
of SiC reinforced AMCs showed an increase with increasing SiC content in Al matrix. 20 wt. % SiC reinforced
AMC showed maximum wear resistance. Wear rate increases with increasing load over a range of speed of Al/SiC
group, with the exception of the composite with the smallest particulate size (PM3) where it fails readily when
sliding exceeds 1 m/s. Wear rate varies in a rather complex manner with speed. Depending on the regime, wear
either increases or decreases with increasing sliding speed. The size of the SiC reinforcement particles appears to be
an important factor in the high-speed tribological behaviour of these composites. The results obtained suggest that a
small particle size leads to inferior high-speed wear resistance, with the composite experiencing extensive melting
even when a relatively low load is applied.

3.2. Al composite(LM6) with SiC and Fly-ash

From [8] and [17] The results obtained with compositions Al with 5%SiC and 5% fly-ash, 5%SiC & 15% fly-
ash under the loads 0.5 and 1.5 kg, increases the wear resistance and decrease in wear rate. Addition of the
composites to the Aluminium resulted in the improved properties that enhanced the ratio of strength to weight of the
 Yashwanth Kumar M/ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 26948–26954 26953

reinforced composite compared to that of unreinforced composite. Wear resistance tends to increase with increase in
addition of Fly Ash in LM6/SiC Hybrid composite which operated under various loads, speeds and time intervals
resulted in the favourable tribological properties. It is evident that the wear résistance has increased with increase in
fly-ash content. The amount of wear observed for base metal and composite with 15% fly-ash content. This is
because of the presence of hard fly-ash particles which will increase the overall bulk hardness of the material. The
inclusion of fly-ash content will change the wear mode from mild to severe.

3.3. Al composite with Cu/SiC/Fly-ash/Mica

From [12] and [13] Al-4.5% Cu alloy was used as the matrix and fly ash and silicon carbide (SiC) as
reinforcements. The fly ash and SiC were added in 5%, 10%, and 15% by weight (equal proportion) to the molten
metal. The resistances to dry wear and slurry erosive wear increases with increase in fly-ash and SiC content. The
influence of mica reinforcement on tribological behaviour of aluminium-copper (Al-Cu) dual matrix composites
when quenched in different mediums was investigated. The results revealed that the Wear resistance of mica filled
oil quenched specimen is less than that of specimen without heat treatment, normalized and water quenched
specimen. The wear resistance of mica filled Al-Cu dual matrix composites first decreases up to 5% reinforcement
due to chipping off mica particles and increases after that due to upgradation of lubrication properties by mica
particles.

3.4. Al composite with TiB2

From [16] Al-TiB2 composite is a metal matrix composite (MMC) that is manufactured using the in-situ salt-
metal reaction. With TiB2 as the particulate addition the properties of Al6061 alloy can be greatly improved. The
mechanical properties and the microstructure of Al 6061 alloy with Al–TiB2 metal matrix composite containing
12% by weight TiB2p manufactured through the in-situ process was resulted in the improvement of the tribological
properties.

3.5. Al composite Basalt fiber

From [2] and [9] Aluminium (7075) alloy composites containing different volume fraction of short basalt fibre
were successfully developed through the stir casting process. The addition of short basalt fibre significantly
improves the yield strength and the ultimate tensile strength of Al7075, when compared with that of unreinforced
matrix. The optimum volume fraction of short basalt fibre in Al 7075 alloy on the basis of microstructure and
mechanical properties is found to be 6 vol%. aluminium alloy 7075 composites containing short basalt fiber of
content ranging from 2.5 % to 10% resulted in significant increases in the ultimate tensile strength, hardness,
compressive strength and Young’s modulus, accompanied by a reduction in its ductility.
Previous studies shown that the usage of fly-ash as reinforcement with Al-SiC as base metal in between 2-12 %
is acceptable to indicate improved wear resistance and mechanical properties along with co-efficient of friction and
dry sliding behavior of Al-SiC-fly-ash metal matrix composite. A dramatic decrease in hardness and tensile
properties has been observed in several cases of Al-SiC-Fly-ash composites, whose weight percentage of fly-ash
goes beyond 10 % indicating continuous increment in hardness and tensile properties with certain limitations
proposed. To overcome such a problem, it is proposed an addition of basalt in certain weight percentage to test
mechanical properties.

4. Conclusion

Based on the literature review, on addition the exact composition weight percentage of fly-ash in Al-SiC
composites are identified that improve the properties of hardness, ultimate tensile strength, sliding wear resistance
and tribological characteristic properties. It is observed that silicate and fly-ash composite increases the mechanical
properties and silicate particles exhibited reducing the wear loss with increase in silica content. Upon with the
addition of fly-ash percentage increasing more than 12% the hardness, tensile strength increases and ductility of the
reinforced composite decreases with lowest elongations. For developing the properties of these reinforced hybrid
composites, it is to be investigated with addition of basalt fiber in different weight percentages (0, 5, 10, and 15).
26954 Yashwanth Kumar M/ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 26948–26954

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