PROGRESS ON NUMERICAL MODELING OF THE DISPERSION OF CERAMIC NANOPARTICLES DURING ULTRASONIC PROCESSING AND SOLIDIFICATION OF AI-BASED NANOCOMPOSITES

摘要

The metal-matrix-nano-composites (MMNCs) in this study consist of a 6061 alloy matrix reinforced with 1.0 wt. % SiC nanoparticles that are dispersed uniformly within the matrix using an ultrasonic cavitation dispersion technique (UCDS). A recently developed multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is applied to study the effects of electromagnetic field from the induction coils and the magnitude of the fluid flow on the nanodispersion. The CFD model accounts for turbulent fluid flow, heat transfer and solidification, electromagnetic field as well as the complex interaction between the solidifying alloy and nanoparticles. SEM analysis was performed on the as-cast MMNC coupons processed via UCDS and confirmed the distribution of the nanoparticles predicted by the current CFD model.