Fabrication and mechanical characterization of hybrid composite reinforced with nanoparticles of alumina and zirconia

Metal matrix composites are rapidly gaining high attention in the automobile and aerospace industry due to their high performance, lightweight, and great mechanical strength. In this present study, metal matrix composite reinforced with nanoparticles is fabricated using the stir-casting technique. The matrix of the aluminum is reinforced with the nanoparticles of alumina and zirconia in the weight percentage of 6.6% and 3.3%, respectively. For microscopic and mechanical characterization, different specimens were prepared following the standard of fabrication. The microstructural, elemental composition, and distribution along with the interaction of the reinforcement particles with the aluminum matrix are observed using energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The mechanical properties of fabricated nanocomposite are compared with that of the monolithic aluminum metal. The microhardness of the specimen is investigated using a Vickers hardness testing machine. The tensile strength and flexural strength are evaluated using the universal testing machine. It was observed that the reinforcement particles were uniformly and homogeneously distributed in the aluminum matrix. It was witnessed that the mechanical strength was significantly improved during the tensile strength (54.32%) and hardness (114.28%) of the nanocomposite compared to the pure rolled aluminum. However, the flexural strength is reduced by 3.33% with the addition of the reinforcement particles.

Automated summary

Metal matrix composites reinforced with nanoparticles are becoming increasingly important in the automobile and aerospace industry due to their high performance, lightweight, and excellent mechanical strength. In this study, a nanocomposite with aluminum matrix reinforced with alumina and zirconia nanoparticles was fabricated using the stir-casting technique. The microstructural and mechanical properties of the nanocomposite were investigated and compared with those of pure rolled aluminum. The results showed that the addition of nanoparticles significantly improved the tensile strength and hardness of the nanocomposite, while slightly reducing its flexural strength.