Title: Investigations on the microstructure and mechanical property of friction stir processed AA6061 aluminium sheet metal reinforced with Al2O3 surface composite

Authors: T. Prakash; P. Sasikumar; S. Sivasankaran

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, SNS College of Technology, Sathy Main Road, Vazhiampalayam Pirivu, Coimbatore – 641-035, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Arasur, Coimbatore – 641-407, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Arasur, Coimbatore – 641-407, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: Friction stir processing (FSP) is an emerging surface engineering technology that can eliminate casting defects locally by refining microstructures, thereby, improving the mechanical properties of the material. In this study, the influence of the FSP on the microstructure and mechanical properties in terms of hardness for commercially available AA6061 Al sheet metals reinforced with aluminium oxide was studied and investigated. Samples were subjected to FSP by varying the rotational and traverse speed. From the microstructural evaluation, it was observed that the grain size of the processed area was around 70% decreased as compared to unprocessed parent metal. The hardness results showed that the strength of stirred surface area was around 1.75 times higher than the unstirred surface area. Further wear test showed that the wear resistance were increased with respect to increase in rotational and traverse speed.

Keywords: friction stir processing; FSP; microstructure; mechanical properties; aluminium sheet metal; surface engineering; casting defects; hardness; aluminium oxide; grain size; wear resistance; rotational speed; traverse speed.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMATEI.2014.064277

International Journal of Materials Engineering Innovation, 2014 Vol.5 No.3, pp.192 - 204

Received: 26 Jan 2013
Accepted: 06 Sep 2013

Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

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