Title: Workability studies on AL-15% SiC powder metallurgy composite during cold upsetting

Authors: T. Ramesh, M. Prabhakar, R. Narayanasamy

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli – 620015, Tamilnadu, India. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli – 620015, Tamilnadu, India. ' Department of Production Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli – 620015, Tamilnadu, India

Abstract: The workability behaviour of pure aluminium and Al-15% SiC powder metallurgy composites has been studied during cold compaction introducing various sizes of the second phase particles, namely, 120 μm, 65 μm and 50 μm. The matrix material of aluminium of powder particle sizes ranging from −37 μm to 75 μm has been considered. The effect of second phase particle size on the workability of the material composites proposed has been investigated. A micro structural investigation on sintering behaviours of the composite has also been investigated. The enhancement in the densification of the powder compacts during compaction has been observed by means of the presence of voids in the compacts adopting mass constancy principle. The relationship between various stresses against the axial strain has been studied along with the other parameters, such as relative density and various stress ratio parameters, as well as the formability stress index under the uniaxial, the plane and the triaxial stress state conditions.

Keywords: metal matrix composites; MMC; aluminium; silicon carbide; workability; triaxial stress; powder metallurgy composite; cold upsetting; particle size; microstructure; sintering behaviour; axial strain.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMSI.2009.025294

International Journal of Materials and Structural Integrity, 2009 Vol.3 No.1, pp.28 - 46

Published online: 18 May 2009 *

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