Mechanical And Microstructural Properties Of Al-Sic Auto Brake Disc Rotor Composite

Aluminium Matrix Composites (AMC) are combinations of aluminium alloy and other components usually non metal and commonly ceramic such as silicon carbide (SiC) and aluminium oxides (Al2O3) in order to improve the  engineering properties of the aluminium alloy. This research work examined the mechanical and microstructural  properties of Al-SiC auto brake disc rotor composite. Aluminium ingots were first heated in the furnace at a tem perature of 720oC to molten state and SiC particles having average size of 25 µm preheated to 840oC for about  two hours were added as reinforcement (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of SiC). The mixture was then stirred for 10  minutes at 850 rpm to ensure homogenous distribution of Composite Metal Particles (CMP) prior to pouring into  the preheated metallic mould at 940oC. A control sample without SiC additions was also produced. The produced  samples were shaped into standard samples for the purpose of hardness, impact, tensile, compression properties  determination and wear. The morphology examination and elemental composition analysis of phases present in  the produced composite samples were carried out using scanning electron microscope, with the attached energy  dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Auto brake disc rotor was produced with standard dimension. The mechanical  properties showed improvement in terms of hardness, impact toughness, compressive stress, decrease in yield  stress and wear rate, it was observed that there is an increase in the Charpy impact strength of the reinforced AMC  when compared with unreinforced Al.  The highest impact strength was recorded at 15 wt. % reinforcement. This  obviously translate that, with the presence of SiC the impact strength of the composite was improved. The Scan ning Electron Microscope (SEM) results revealed the phases present in the composite while the Energy Dispersive  X-ray indicated the elemental composition of the composite.