Effect of distribution of B₄C on the mechanical behaviour of Al-6061/B₄C composite

ABSTRACT

In this work, the effect of mixing parameters on the distribution of B₄C in 6061-Al alloy and its correlation with mechanical behaviour was studied. 6061-Al alloy powder was mixed with 10 mass-% B₄C powder in a ball mill and powder rotator mixer by varying mixing time from 1 to 5 h. Mixing was performed in both wet and dry conditions in a ball mill while only dry condition was used in the powder rotator mixer. The green compacts were sintered at 630°C. The quadrat method was used to quantify the distribution of B₄C particles in the microstructures of sintered Al/B₄C composite. The results showed that the distribution was improved with mixing time but the density, hardness and compression strength of Al/B₄C composites were reduced with time during ball milling. On the other hand, the distribution of reinforcement, density, hardness and compressive strength of Al/B₄C composites was improved with mixing time in the powder rotator mixer.

KEYWORDS:

• Aluminium
• boron carbide
• composite
• mixing
• ball mill

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Head, Powder Processing Group PINSTECH Islamabad, for permitting us to utilise their facilities and resources for this work. The authors also feel indebted to the Microscopy Division, IST and In-charge, Mechanical Characterisation Labs PIEAS, Islamabad for their generous support in microstructural and mechanical characterisation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Fahad Ali http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7803-3908