中国有色金属学报(英文版)
Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China
| Vol. 25 No. 3 March 2015 |
（1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, SCAD College of Engineering and Technology,
Cheranmahadevi 627414, Tamil Nadu, India;
2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, PET Engineering College, Vallioor 627117, Tamil Nadu, India;
3. Department of Mechanical Engineering Science, University of Johannesburg,
Auckland Park Kingsway Campus, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa;
4. Centre for Research in Metallurgy (CRM), School of Mechanical Sciences,
Karunya University, Coimbatore 641114, Tamil Nadu, India）
Abstract:Rice husk ash (RHA) is a potential particulate reinforcement to produce aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) economically. Compocasting method was applied to produce aluminum alloy AA6061 reinforced with various amounts (0, 2%, 4%, 6% and 8%, mass fraction) of RHA particles. The prepared composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction patterns of AA6061/RHA AMCs revealed the presence of RHA particles without the formation of any other intermetallic compounds. The scanning electron micrographs showed a homogeneous distribution of RHA particles all over the aluminum matrix. Intragranular distribution of RHA particles was observed. Further, RHA particles were bonded well with the aluminum matrix and a clear interface existed. The reinforcement of RHA particles enhanced the microhardness and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the AMCs. The tensile behavior is correlated to the microstructure of the AMCs.
Key words: 6061 Al alloy; aluminum matrix composite; compocasting; rice husk ash; microstructure
