Development and characterization of Aluminium 356 metal matrix hybrid composites reinforced by nano aluminium oxide and molybdenum disulfide

Abstract

Many of the modern-day technological applications necessitate materials with combination of characteristics that traditional metal alloys, polymers and ceramic materials cannot provide individually. This is particularly true for material used in aeronautical, undersea, and transport applications. The term composite refers to a material that is made up of a reinforcement (discrete constituent) dispersed in a matrix (continuous phase) and derives its distinguishing characteristics from the constituents geometry and architecture, as well as the properties of the constituents boundaries (interfaces). Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) are a new class of engineered materials that combine a ceramic reinforcement into a metal matrix to increase attributes such as strength, stiffness, resistance to wear and corrosion and elastic modulus. Aluminium alloys are widely employed as industrial materials, due to their great features like as low density, high strength and improved thermal properties. The performance of the components made out of aluminium alloys can be further enhanced by adding the harder ceramic particles into the Aluminium alloy, forming a MMC material having improved mechanical and tribological properties. newlineMany of the applications of components made out of MMCs include situations in which they are exposed to operating conditions that involve relative sliding motion with regard to the mating components. The mechanical and tribological properties of the components that involve in such conditions determine the performance of mechanical systems. The performance of the components subjected to tribological applications could be improved by adding particulates of self-lubricating materials like Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) or Graphite as one of the reinforcing materials in the composite structure. newlineMetal matrix composites can be made using a variety of fabrication procedures, depending on whether the MMCs are to be continuously or discontinuously reinforced. The approaches can be further differentiated based on whether the met