Effects of Stirring Duration and Casting Temperature in Ultrasonic Assisted Stir Casting of Al A356 Matrix Composites

Year 2020, Volume: 23 Issue: 4, 1265 - 1275, 01.12.2020

Tuğçe Büşra Yüksel Uğur Aybarç Onur Ertuğrul

https://doi.org/10.2339/politeknik.629473

Abstract

In the present study, two main
parameters as stirring duration and casting temperature were taken into
consideration in order to determine the effect of stirring process on
mechanical properties of aluminum matrix composites. AlSi7Mg0.3 aluminum alloy
and silicon carbide (SiC) particles were used as matrix and reinforcement
materials to produce composite samples. Firstly, stirring processes were
applied as the combination of mechanical stirring and ultrasonic vibration for
the various time as 3-1, 2-2 and 1-3 minutes, respectively. To determine the
effect of stirring process, tensile tests were applied to whole samples and
Quality Indexes (QI) were calculated by using the results of tensile tests.
According to the values of QI, the produced samples with the combination of 1
minute mechanical stirring and 3 minutes ultrasonic vibration showed the
maximum mechanical properties. Afterwards, the determined stirring combination
was chosen to specify the appropriate molten metal temperature. Three different
casting temperatures were addressed as 700˚C, 720˚C and 740˚C. According to
mechanical tests results and calculations of QI and metallographic analysis,
the maximum mechanical properties were obtained with aluminum composite
reinforced with 1 wt. % SiC at 720˚C molten metal temperature by applying 1
minute mechanical stirring and 3 minutes ultrasonic vibration.

Keywords

Al matrix composite, ultrasonic vibration, mechanical stirring, casting temperature

Supporting Institution

TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey)

Project Number

1139B411800134

Thanks

The authors thank Caner Kalender for technical support. The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by 2209-B Programme of the TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey).

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