STIR CASTING METHOD OF FABRICATION OF MMCs

Liquid state fabrication of Metal Matrix Composites involves incorporation of

dispersed phase into a molten matrix metal, followed by its Solidification. In order
to provide high level of mechanical properties of the composite, good interfacial
bonding (wetting) between the dispersed phase and the liquid matrix should be
obtained.

Wetting improvement may be achieved by coating the dispersed phase particles

(fibers). Proper coating not only reduces interfacial energy, but also prevents
chemical interaction between the dispersed phase and the matrix.The simplest and
the most cost effective method of liquid state fabrication is Stir Casting.

STIR CASTING

Stir Casting is a liquid state method of composite materials fabrication, in

which a dispersed phase (ceramic particles, short fibers) is mixed with a molten
matrix metal by means of mechanical stirring.

Stir Casting is the simplest and the most cost effective method of liquid state
fabrication.

The liquid composite material is then cast by conventional casting methods and
may also be processed by conventional Metal forming technologies.

Stir Casting is characterized by the following features:

Content of dispersed phase is limited (usually not more than 30 vol. %).
In preparing metal matrix composites by the stir casting method, there are several
factors that need considerable attention, including

Distribution of dispersed phase throughout the matrix is not perfectly

homogeneous:

1. There are local clouds (clusters) of the dispersed particles (fibers);

2. There may be gravity segregation of the dispersed phase due to a difference in

the densities of the dispersed and matrix phase.

3. Wettability between the two main substances;

4. Porosity in the cast metal matrix composites;

5. Chemical reactions between the reinforcement material and the matrix alloy.
Distribution of dispersed phase may be improved if the matrix is in semi-solid
condition. The method using stirring metal composite materials in semi-solid state
is called Rheocasting.

PROCESS VARIABLES

Processing variables such as holding temperature, stirring speed, size of the

impeller, and the position of the impeller in the melt are among the important
factors to be considered in the fabrication of metal matrix composites as these have
an impact on mechanical and tribological properties. These are determined by the
reinforcement content, its distribution, the level of the intimate contact of the
wetting with the matrix materials, and also the porosity content. Therefore, by
controlling the processing conditions as well as the relative amount of the
reinforcement material, it is possible to obtain a composite with a broad range of
mechanical and tribological properties.
Fig 1. Stirring Process

Fig 2. Stir Casting Equipment

Wettability

In a normal practice of stir casting technique, cast metal matrix composites

is produced by melting the matrix material in a crucible, and then the molten metal
is stirred thoroughly to form a vortex and the reinforcement particles are
introduced through the side of the vortex formed. Lloyd (1999) reports that vortex-
mixing technique for the preparation of ceramic particle dispersed aluminum
matrix composites was originally developed by Surappa & Rohatgi (1981) at the
Indian Institute of Science.

During particle addition there is local solidification of the melt induced by

the particles which increase the viscosity of the slurry.

A top addition method will allow air into the slurry which appears as air
pockets between the particles. The rate of particle addition also needs to be slowed
down especially when the volume fraction of the particles to be used increases.
This is time consuming for a bigger product.

Two-Step Stirring action

When all substances are placed in a graphite crucible and heated in an inert
atmosphere until the matrix alloy is melted and then followed by a two-step stirring
action before pouring into a mould has advantages in terms of promoting
wettability between the boran carbide particle metal matrix composites In liquid
state the mechanical stirring mixes the particle into the melt but when the stirring is
stopped the particle return to the surface. However, stirring the MMC slurry in a
semi-solid state at a temperature within the solidification range of the alloy matrix
helps to incorporate the ceramic particles into the alloy matrix. In the semi-solid
state, primary Alpha-aluminum phase exist, and the stirring action assists this solid
phase to trap the boran carbide particle between the dendrite arms, thus stopping
them from settling. In other words, the growing solid phase helps to drag the
ceramic particles into the alloy matrix. However, in the semi-solid state the slurry
cannot be poured into the mould because at this stage its viscosity is very high and
the fluidity is very low. Therefore before pouring the slurry into the mould, it is
necessary to re-melt it to a fully molten condition, and re-stir before pouring.

The re-stirring process will help to disperse the boran carbide particles to a
more uniform distribution.

Fig 3. Furnace Crucible

Wetting improvement may be achieved by coating the dispersed phase

particles (fibers). Proper coating not only reduces interfacial energy, but also
prevents chemical interaction between the dispersed phase and the matrix. High
viscosity of the semi-solid matrix material enables better mixing of the dispersed
phase.

It has been found that for aluminium-based composites, magnesium has a

greater effect in incorporating reinforcement particles in the melt and improving
their distribution. The addition of magnesium to molten aluminum has been found
to be successful in promoting wetting of alumina and indeed it is thought that
magnesium is suitable in aluminium with most reinforcements.

Magnesium is a powerful surfactant. The addition of magnesium to an

aluminium melt improves wetting because of the lower surface tension of
magnesium (0.599 N m−1) compared with that of aluminium (0.760 N m−1) or
aluminium–11.8 wt.% Si (0.817 N m−1) [36]. The addition of 3 wt.% magnesium
to aluminium reduces its surface tension from 0.760 to 0.620 N m−1 at 720°C. The
reduction is very sharp for the initial 1 wt. % magnesium addition, e.g. with 1 wt.%
magnesium, the surface energy of an aluminium alloy has been found to drop from
860 to 650 dyn cm−1. In the work of Sukumaran et al. they concluded that the
addition of magnesium is necessary during the synthesis of Al–B4C particle
composites by a stir casting route, and found the optimum addition off magnesium
for obtaining the best distribution and maximum mechanical properties to be
around 1 wt.%. The addition of magnesium lower than the optimum value results
in the formation of agglomerates of reinforcement particles and their non-uniform
dispersion in the melt.

Magnesium can also reduce the solid–liquid interfacial energy by aiding the
reaction at the surface of the reinforcement particles and forming new compounds
at the interface. Very small quantities of reactive elements may be quite effective
in improving wetting since they can segregate either to the melt surface or at the
melt–particle interface (simultaneously reducing the reactive element content in the
matrix). Levi et al. found that the incorporation, wetting and bonding of the
reinforcement can be achieved by alloying aluminium with an element which can
interact chemically with the reinforcement to produce a new phase at the interface
which is readily wetted. In the case of an Al–Mg alloy based composite, they
suggest that bonding was achieved through the formation of a MgAl2O4 layer, by
reaction between the reinforcement and the magnesium in the aluminium liquid.

Magnesium is also a powerful scavenger of oxygen; it reacts with the

oxygen present on the surface of particles, thinning the gas layer, and thus
improving wetting and reducing the agglomeration tendency. A composite which
was prepared by the liquid metal processing technique with 80–100 μm size silicon
carbide particles in a 356 alloy matrix, showed that the addition of magnesium
helped in thinning the gas layer, which was present over the boran carbide
particles.

It can be concluded that the presence of magnesium in an aluminium alloy

matrix during composites fabrication, not only strengthens the matrix, but also
scavenges the oxygen from the surface of the particle, leading to an increase in the
surface energy of the particles. However, caution must be exercised in adding
magnesium because the presence of excess magnesium in an aluminium melt will
alter the microstructure of the matrix alloy by forming low-melting constituents,
which deteriorate mechanical properties. The addition of 3.0 wt.% magnesium to
an Al356 alloy for example leads to the formation of a Mg5Al8 phase, having a
low melting point of 450°C. In addition, Korolkov has warned that the addition of
magnesium to molten aluminium will reduce its casting fluidity.

Porosity

The melting process of the aluminum ingots proceeds in a vacuum

atmosphere in order to avoid the molten metal being exposed to air, and therefore
the oxidation of aluminum can be prevented. The gas and water on the surface of
the B4c particles are removed by heating the B4c particles at 500C for 1 hour
before they are added into the melt. The stirring process starts when the crucible
has been evacuated for half an hour after which the B4c particles are added on the
surface of melt in order to further remove the air and water absorbed on the B4c
particle surfaces. The equipment and tools that contact directly with the molten
aluminum are coated with a firm layer of zinc oxide protective material to avoid Fe
entering into the melt.

SIMULATION TECHNIQUE

In order to achieve a good distribution of reinforcement particles in a cast

metal matrix composite, the stirring action must be efficient enough to disperse the
particles in a homogeneous way.

Fluidity is a complex parameter affected by the properties of the metal as

well as the mold and solidification conditions. Certain factors have significant
impact on fluidity of aluminum MMCs, while they have only little effect in
aluminum alloys. For example, increase in viscosity of composite slurries
decreases their fluidity drastically, whereas its influence is negligible in aluminum
alloys.

Fluidity is influenced by the alloy composition, which can vary the alloy’s
viscosity, surface tension, freezing range and

Solidification mode. Change in fluidity arising from composition induced changes

in viscosity and surface tension may be less significant than variations in the other
two parameters. The factors determining fluidity can be basically divided into (i)
metallurgical variables, such as composition, superheat, latent heat, surface
tension, viscosity and mode of solidification and (ii) mold/casting variables, such
as part configuration, cooling rate, degree of super heat, mold material and its
surface characteristics. In addition, reinforcement characteristics such as size,
shape and its volume fraction affect the fluidity behavior of metal matrix
composite melts.

In normal practice stirring takes place in a closed vessel or crucible, where

efficiency cannot be seen, and simulation methods are required to inform
experimental

When the impeller is placed excessively high within the fluid, little flow
occurs at the base of the vessel where it is required to lift particles into the melt.

Fig – 4 Laboratory stir casting set up)

STRENGTHENING MECHANISM OF COMPOSITES

The strengthening mechanisms of the composites are different with different kind
of reinforcing agent morphology such as fibres, particulate or dispersed type of
reinforcing
elements.

DISPERSION STRENGTHENING MECHANISM OF STRENGTHENED

COMPOSITE

In the dispersion strengthened composite the second phase reinforcing agents are
finely dispersed in the soft ductile matrix. The strong particles restrict the motion
of dislocations and strengthen the matrix. Here the main reinforcing philosophy is
by the strengthening of the matrix by the dislocation loop formation around the
dispersed particles. Thus the further movement of dislocations around the particles
is difficult. Degree of strengthening depend upon the several factors like volume %
of dispersed phase, degree of dispersion, size and shape of the dispersed phase,
inter particle spacing etc. In this kind of composite the load is mainly carried out
by the matrix materials.

STRENGTHENING MECHANISM OF PARTICULATE COMPOSITE

In the particulate reinforced composite the size of the particulate is more than 1
μm, so it strengthens the composite in two ways. First one is the particulate carry
the load along with the matrix materials and another way is by formation of
incoherent interface between the particles and the matrix. So a larger number of
dislocations are generated at 18 the interface, thus material gets strengthened. The
degree of strengthening depends on the amount of particulate (volume fraction),
distribution, size and shape of the particulate etc.