Reinforcement of SiC Particles on Friction Stir Processing of Aluminium AA7050

Abstract

Friction stir processing (FSP) is a solid-state processing technique used to refine the mi-crostructures of metallic alloys. It involves inserting a rotating tool into the material, which generates heat and plastic deformation, leading to the recrystallization and refinement of the microstructure. The aluminium alloy 7050 is a high-strength alloy possessing good corrosion resistance, and is com-monly used in aerospace applications. By incorporating SiC particles into the alloy with different percentiles of 0 to 1%, the resulting composite can have improved mechanical properties, such as higher strength and stiffness, as well as increased wear resistance. Mechanical testing and optical metallographic characterization were conducted. The test results showed that weldments have improved mechanical properties compared to the base material, making them suitable for high-strength and low-weight applications.