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Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 14244–14251 www.materialstoday.com/proceedings

ICAFM_2017

Experimental Investigation on Mechanical Behaviour and Wear

Parameters of TiC and Graphite Reinforced Aluminium Hybrid
Composites
R.Ashok Kumara,*, A.Devarajub, S.Arunkumarc
a
Research Scholar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Anna University, Chennai – 600 025, India
b
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Adhi College of Engineering and Technology, Kanchipuram – 631605, India
c
Department of Mechanical Engineering, R.M.K College of Engineering and Technology, Puduvoyal – 601 206, India

Abstract

The Objective of this work is to study the microstructures, mechanical properties and wear characteristics of Titanium carbide
(TiC), Graphite reinforced Aluminium Hybrid Composites (AHCs). AHCs of varying TiC content (1-4 wt. %) were prepared by
stir casting process. Microstructure analyses, Vickers hardness test, tensile strength and wear test is performed on the prepared
composites and results are analysed. The results show that introducing TiC reinforcements in aluminium (Al) matrix increases
hardness, tensile strength. The 4 wt. % of TiC reinforced AHC showed maximum hardness and tensile strength. Microstructural
observation homogeneous distribution of TiC particles and surface defects in the Al matrix. On increasing wt. % of TiC
reinforcements in AHCs, surface cracks and porosities were observed in microstructures. Pin-on-disc wear test indicated that
reinforcing Al matrix with TiC, particles have increased wear resistance.
© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and/or Peer-review under responsibility of ICAFM’17.

Keywords:Aluminium Hybrid Composites, Stir Casting, Hardness, Tensile Strength, Wear.

1. Introduction

Most of the studies made in automotive and aerospace field shows that the material should possess good
mechanical and tribological properties [1]. Metal matrix is combination of two or more metals. The properties
depend upon the particle size, shape and orientation in matrix [2]. The composites are widely used in dry sliding

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 9790739133

E-mail address: ashok.kumar19872003@gmail.com

2214-7853© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selection and/or Peer-review under responsibility of ICAFM’17.
 Ashok Kumar et al./ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 14244–14251 14245

conditions [3]. Ceramic particles along with solid lubricating materials were incorporated into aluminium alloy
matrix to accomplish reduction in both wear resistance and coefficient of friction [1] aluminium metal matrix
composite is manufactured by Stir casting, Squeeze casting, Centrifugal casting and powder metallurgy. The non-
metallic ceramic particles like Silicon carbide, Boron Carbide, Alumina, Fly ash and Titanium carbide are used as
reinforcements in aluminium metal matrix. The aim is to study about the effect of TiC and Graphite reinforcements
in aluminium hybrid matrix composites. The wear properties of the hybrid composites containing TiC and Graphite
exhibited the superior wear-resistance properties. The wear characteristics of Al7075 with TiC and Graphite has not
been discussed much is the base for the present study.

2. Experimental Procedure

2.1. Materials

Aluminium is used as metal matrix, TiC and Graphite are added as reinforcements and composite materials are
produced. The Aluminium Hybrid Composites are manufactured by 5% wt of Graphite and 1 – 4% wtTiC particles
size of ranging from 30 μm to 40 μm were used as reinforcement. The chemical composition of Al7075 is given in
Table 1. To increase the wettability of the TiC particles in molten aluminium, 2% wt of Magnesium (ribbon type) is
added.
Table 1. Chemical Composition of Al used in metal matrix material (wt %)
Elements Fe Si Mn Cu Mg Cr Zn Al
% 0.50 0.35 0.33 1.50 2.25 0.17 5.15 Balance

2.2. Preparation of Composites

The fabrication of Al7075 – TiC / Graphite composite is prepared by using a Stir Casting method. In this method,
Al7075 alloy in the form of 20 mm diameter rods cut into 60mm length is placed in a clay graphite crucible. It was
then melted in a resistance heated muffle furnace to the desired temperature of 800°C. In the meantime TiC and
Graphite particles of 37 μm size were heated in another crucible to a temperature of 400°C to remove moisture, and
the die was preheated to a temperature of 650°C. Then the TiC and Graphite particles were mixed into a molten
metal. The crucible was covered with a flux and degassing agents to improve the quality of aluminium composite
casting. The mixture will be stirred continuously by using mechanical stirrer for about 15 minutes at an impeller
speed of 550 rpm. The melt temperature was maintained at 800°C during addition of the particles. The molten metal
was then poured into the preheated die to cast a size of 40mm diameter and 180mm length. Same procedure is
followed to fabricate AHCs with 2-4 wt. % TiC. The process parameters used for stir casting process is shown in
table 2. The stir casting set up used for producing composite rods and composite castings were shown in figures 1
and 2 respectively.

Table 2. Casting Process Parameters

Parameters Value Units
Temperature of Molten Metal 800 °C
Preheated Temperature of TiC 400 °C
Preheated Temperature of Graphite 400 °C
Preheated Temperature of Die 650 °C
Stirrer Speed 550 Rpm
Stirrer Time 15 min
Particles Feed Rate 0.9 – 1.5 g/s
14246 Ashok kumar et. al./ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 14244–14251

Fig. 1. Stir Ca6sting Set-up used for Fabrication of Composite Rods

Fig. 2. Casted Composite Rods (Al7075 + TiC + Graphite)

2.3. Hardness Test

The hardness tests were carried out according to ASTM: E384 - 2016 standards using a Micro hardness testing
machine with a load of 100g for 10 seconds. The test was conducted at room temperature and carried out at three
different locations to avoid the possible effect of the indenter resting on the hard reinforcement particles. The
average of all the readings were reported.

2.4. Tensile Test

As per ASTM E08-8 standard, the cast composites are machined in CNC lathe machine, the tensile strength was
evaluated on the cylindrical rod of casted composites. The 1000 grit grinding paper was used to polish the test
specimens in order to decrease the machining scratches and the effects of surface defects on the sample. The
universal testing machine loaded with 8kN load cell was used to conduct the tensile test. The tensile strength was
evaluated at cross head speed of 2 mm/min.
 Ashok Kumar et al./ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 14244–14251 14247

2.5. Wear Test

A pin on disc test apparatus was used to investigate the dry sliding wear behaviour of Al 7075/ TiC / Graphite
wt.% of aluminium hybrid composites. Disc specimens of 40 mm diameter and 4 mm thickness for wear test was
prepared from the above composites were machined and polished metallographically. The pin is made up of EN31
steel 10mm diameter and 40mm length of 60BHN was used as counter surface in the wear test. The test was
conducted with various loads of 10-40 N at a speed of 0.5 m/s and at a room temperature (30°C) with relative
humidity of 60–65%. The frictional traction encountered by the disc during sliding is measured continuously by a
PC-based data-logging system for analysis and wear rates were determined. The wear test was conducted in the
period when the Disc specimens were entirely in contact with the pin surface.
3. Result and Discussion

3.1. Microstructure

The properties of composites depends upon the microstructure and interface characteristics between the
reinforcements and matrix. Fig. 3 shows the optical microstructures of 1-4 wt. % TiC reinforced AHCs respectively.
From microstructural analysis, clustering and non-homogeneous distribution of TiC and Graphite particles in Al
matrix were observed. This was due to the variation of contact time between TiC and Graphite particles, molten Al
during composites processing, high surface tension and poor wetting behavior of TiC particles in the liquid Al [6].
Non homogenization of TiC and Graphite particles in Al matrix can be observed in the microstructure of TiC and
Graphite reinforced AHC as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3. SEM Micrographs TiC / Graphite /Al7075 (a) Al + 5% Graphite + 1% TiC

(b) Al + 5% Graphite + 2% TiC (c) Al + 5% Graphite + 3% TiC (d) Al + 5% Graphite + 4% TiC
14248 Ashok kumar et. al./ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 14244–14251

Some places in Al matrix can be identified without reinforcing particles. Porosities were observed in all
microstructures. This is because when TiC and Graphite particles were added in the melt during casting, it
introduces air in the melt entrapped between the particles. Therefore increasing wt. % of TiC particles increases
entrapped air resulted in higher amount of porosity [5].

Fig.4. shows the Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy of the sample and it indicates the presence of Carbon, Pores
and Titanium.

Fig. 4. Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy of the Sample

3.2. Effect of Hardness

The hardness of the aluminium alloys is increased with the addition of TiC reinforcements. It is due to the
addition of 1-4 wt. % TiC particles and 5% graphite, which can be attributed to the fact that TiC and graphite
possess increased hardness and its presence in the matrix improves the hardness of the composite. This is shown in
Fig. 5. The results were in good agreement with the findings [2].
 Ashok Kumar et al./ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 14244–14251 14249

Fig. 5. Micro Hardness of TiC and Graphite Reinforced in Aluminium Hybrid Matrix

3.3. Effect of Tensile Strength

Fig.6 shows the relationship between tensile strength and wt. % of TiC and Graphite reinforcements of fabricated
composites. From the tensile test results, it is observed that the tensile strength of AHCs is greater than Al7075.
Increase of tensile strength in AHCs can be attributed due to the applied tensile load transfer to the strongly bonded
TiC and Graphite reinforcements in Al matrix, increases dislocation density near matrix-reinforcement interface,
and grain refining strengthening effect [6, 7].In a composite containing strong matrix with strong interface, the crack
has to propagate across both matrix and reinforcements [15]. With the increase of wt. % TiC, although porosity
increases but increase of strength due to strong interfacial bond contributes to enhance tensile strength of AHCs.

Fig. 6. Tensile Strength of TiC and Graphite Reinforced in Aluminium Hybrid Matrix
14250 Ashok kumar et. al./ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 14244–14251

3.4. Wear Test

The variation of wear rate with respect to the load applied is shown in Fig. 7. The applied load affects the wear
rate of AHCs significantly. The wear rate varies with applied load is an indicative of Archard’s law and significantly
lower in the case of hybrid composites [3]. The wear rate increases with the increasing applied load AHCs.
However, at all considered load conditions, the wear resistance of the hybrid composites were superior to the matrix

Fig. 7. Wear Rate with Varying Load Applied in Aluminium Hybrid Matrix

4. Conclusion

In this experimental study, AHCs of varying TiC content (1-4 wt. %) were prepared using stir casting fabrication
technique. Microstructural aspects, hardness, tensile strength and wear characteristics of the prepared composites
were studied. Based on experimental evaluation, we can arrive with the following conclusions. Clustering and non-
homogenous dispersion of TiC/Graphite particles in Al Hybrid matrix and Porosities were observed in the
microstructures. Addition of TiC and graphite in Al Hybrid matrix increases hardness and tensile strength of
composites where compared with various wt. % of TiC content AHCs. Wear resistance of TiC /Graphite reinforced
AHCs showed an increase with increasing TiC content in Al Hybrid matrix whereas 4 wt. % of TiC reinforced
AHCs showed maximum wear resistance. From the results above, TiC and Graphite reinforced AHCs showed better
hardness, tensile strength and wear resistance than normal Al7075.
 Ashok Kumar et al./ Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 14244–14251 14251

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Professors, Dr. M. Balasubramanian and Dr. P.K. Devan, Dept. of
Mechanical Engineering, R.M.K. College of Engineering and Technology, Chennai, India for their continued
encouragement to publish this work. One of the Authors, Mr. R. Ashok Kumar wish to acknowledge Mr. K. Ajay,
Mr. M. Avinash, Mr. S. Chidambaram and Mr. N. Dhiraj Kumar for their continuous assistance during the progress
of this work.

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