Evaluation of mechanical and wear properties of hybrid aluminium matrix composites

Hybrid metal matrix composites are important class of engineering materials used in automotive, aerospace and other applications because of their lower density, higher specific strength, and better physical and mechanical properties compared to pure aluminium. The mechanical and wear properties of hybrid aluminium metal matrix composites were investigated. Mica and SiC ceramic particles were incorporated into Al 356 alloy by stir-casting route. Microstructures of the samples were studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The chemical composition was investigated through energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) detector. The results indicate that the better strength and hardness are achieved with Al/10SiC-3mica composites. The increase in mass fraction of mica improves the wear loss of the composites.