Microstructural and Mechanical
Characterization of Sintered and Hot
Pressed Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites
Jayavelu Sundaram, J. Udaya Prakash, and Mariappan Ramajayam
Abstract This work analyzed the microstructural and mechanical properties of
sintered and hot pressed aluminum alloy AA2014, an aluminum metal matrix
composite and an aluminum hybrid metal matrix composite. Sample-1 (AA2014),
sample-2 (AA2014 + 5wt% TiB 2 ) and sample-3 (AA2014 + 5 wt% TiB 2 + 5 wt%
Al 2 O 3 ) were developed by powder metallurgy. It involves elemental powder mixing
and uniaxial green compaction in a 350 MPa universal testing machine followed by
sintering in a 550 °C electric muffle furnace for 2 h and hot pressing in a vacuum
hot press at nitrogen atmosphere for 2 h at 620 °C. Density assessment, study of
microstructure and mechanical characterization were subjected to three samples.
For both sintering and hot pressed condition, mechanical and physical properties
were analyzed. Samples-1, 2, and 3 display a marginal increase of 1, 1.4 and 1.4%
of sintered densities after hot pressing. Sample-1, 2, and 3 porosity were decreased
by 15.94, 25 and 22.2% after hot pressing. Improved mechanical properties due to
the transfer of load from the matrix to the two reinforcements TiB 2 and Al 2 O 3 after
hot pressing.
Keywords Sintering · Tensile test · Hot press · Aluminum hybrid metal matrix
composites
1 Introduction
In aircraft fuselages and wings, ground transportation, electrical and heat exchange
applications, aluminum metal matrix composites (AMMCs) are used. Due to its
excellent properties, such as light weight to strength ratio, slender density, increased
rigidity, higher thermal stability, tremendous thermal and electrical conductivity [1].
J. Sundaram (B) · J. Udaya Prakash · M. Ramajayam
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D
Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
e-mail: jayavelu.sundaram@gmail.com
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license
to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
N. Gascoin and E. Balasubramanian (eds.), Innovative Design, Analysis
and Development Practices in Aerospace and Automotive Engineering, Lecture Notes
in Mechanical Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6619-6_44
409
Characterization of Sintered and Hot
Pressed Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites
Jayavelu Sundaram, J. Udaya Prakash, and Mariappan Ramajayam
Abstract This work analyzed the microstructural and mechanical properties of
sintered and hot pressed aluminum alloy AA2014, an aluminum metal matrix
composite and an aluminum hybrid metal matrix composite. Sample-1 (AA2014),
sample-2 (AA2014 + 5wt% TiB 2 ) and sample-3 (AA2014 + 5 wt% TiB 2 + 5 wt%
Al 2 O 3 ) were developed by powder metallurgy. It involves elemental powder mixing
and uniaxial green compaction in a 350 MPa universal testing machine followed by
sintering in a 550 °C electric muffle furnace for 2 h and hot pressing in a vacuum
hot press at nitrogen atmosphere for 2 h at 620 °C. Density assessment, study of
microstructure and mechanical characterization were subjected to three samples.
For both sintering and hot pressed condition, mechanical and physical properties
were analyzed. Samples-1, 2, and 3 display a marginal increase of 1, 1.4 and 1.4%
of sintered densities after hot pressing. Sample-1, 2, and 3 porosity were decreased
by 15.94, 25 and 22.2% after hot pressing. Improved mechanical properties due to
the transfer of load from the matrix to the two reinforcements TiB 2 and Al 2 O 3 after
hot pressing.
Keywords Sintering · Tensile test · Hot press · Aluminum hybrid metal matrix
composites
1 Introduction
In aircraft fuselages and wings, ground transportation, electrical and heat exchange
applications, aluminum metal matrix composites (AMMCs) are used. Due to its
excellent properties, such as light weight to strength ratio, slender density, increased
rigidity, higher thermal stability, tremendous thermal and electrical conductivity [1].
J. Sundaram (B) · J. Udaya Prakash · M. Ramajayam
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D
Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
e-mail: jayavelu.sundaram@gmail.com
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license
to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
N. Gascoin and E. Balasubramanian (eds.), Innovative Design, Analysis
and Development Practices in Aerospace and Automotive Engineering, Lecture Notes
in Mechanical Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6619-6_44
409