Tensile Properties, Hardness and Micro Structural Analysis of Al 6061 - SiC_p Metal Matrix Composites Fabricated by Ultrasonic Cavitation Approach

摘要

The combined use of ultrasonic cavitation and mechanical stirring to disperse the silicon carbide particles (SiC_p) in molten aluminum alloys has been studied. Composite materials with various weight percentage of Al 6061 alloy (matrix) and SiC_p (reinforcement, average particle size 10 micrometers) were fabricated. The microstructure of the composites was investigated by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The micro structural analysis validates the good dispersion of SiC_p in the metal matrix. The tension test results reveal that the tensile strength of the as-cast metal matrix composites (MMCs) have been improved significantly for the 5 and 10 weight percentage of SiC_p and then decreases. The hardness of MMCs increases and the ductility decreases as the particle percentage increases. The ultrasonic cavitation based fabrication is a novel route for producing wide range of MMCs.