Characterization and analysis of carbon fiber and nano hBN reinforced hybrid Aluminium Metal Matrix Composites by conventional sintering

Abstract

As mono composites focus solely on improving one property at a time, the significance of hybrid composites grows day by day. The incorporation of carbon fiber (CF) and nano hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) particles as reinforcement for Aluminium has gained significant popularity because of their superior properties. In this work, the AA 7050 is reinforced with carbon fiber and nano hBN and fabricated by powder metallurgy method. To achieve an effective nanoparticle distribution in the matrix, premixing of the particles was done. The reinforcements were effectively dispersed by ball milling, and the composite was created using a traditional powder metallurgy. Dispersion of the particles in the matrix was analyzed by optical microscope. The effect of adding reinforcement to the matrix was investigated using properties such as micro hardness and compression test, and wear characterization. A significant increase in mechanical and wear properties was achieved for the combination of 0.25 wt. % carbon fiber and 0.5 wt. % hBN addition due to the uniform dispersion of nano particles along with the carbon fiber presence. This study provides insight into the importance of hybrid Aluminium nano composites for high strength applications.

Keywords

• Hybrid composite
• Nano composite
• AlMMCs
• Hexagonal Boron Nitride
• Powder metallurgy

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