Mechanical properties of the modified al-12%si alloy reinforced by ceramic particles

Abstract EN

The aluminum alloys are important in many industrial applications because of their light weight and good mechanical properties.

For this reason many researches had been done to enhance their properties.

In this work a modifier was applied to Al-12% Si alloys by adding different percentage of Antimony powder (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 Wt %) .

The mechanical properties of the modified alloys were considered.

The optimum properties were found by adding 0.3% Antimony powder.

This alloy was used as the matrix for the production of composite material (aluminum matrix reinforced by ceramic particles (Y2O3) with different weight percent (3,6,9 and 12% Wt)) using vortex technique.

The casting parameters were 3 minute as a mixing time and 300 r.

p.m as a mixing speed.

The microstructure, hardness and wear test were applied on the modified alloy and composite materials.

The effect of the addition of Antimony and reinforcement particles on the microstructure, hardness and wear rate of the composite material were considered.

The results show that the addition of Antimony leads to the microstructure refinement and change the silicon shape in the alloy from the flake – like or lamellar – like to fibrous – like In addition to the increasing the hardness when Sb is up to 0.3%, after that the hardness will decrease, as well as the addition of ceramic particles increase the hardness and decrease the wear rate.