Fabrication, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties of AZ31/Silicon Carbide/Graphite Reinforced Hybrid Composites

Abstract

Magnesium matrix composites (MMCs) exhibit excellent strength, low mass, and density. In the current study, silicon carbide (SiC) and graphite (Gr) particles are used as reinforcement, using AZ31 alloy as the matrix mate-rial. Using the stir casting method, AZ31-SiC-Gr hybrid composites were developed with different compositions of SiC and Gr (0, 2, 4, and 6 wt.%). The microstructure of developed hybrid composites and AZ31 alloy was analyzed using SEM and EDS. The densities, hardness, tensile and compressive properties of the fabricated hybrid composites were examined. The experimental results show that adding reinforcements improved the developed hybrid composites’ mechanical characteristics. The micro hardness was raised by 27% with the addition of 6% SiC and Gr to the base alloy. The AZ31 hybrid composite with 4% SiC and Gr particles exhibited a maximum compressive strength of 365.56 MPa and UTS of 158.4 MPa. Overall, the results of the AZ31-SiC-Gr hybrid MMCs are promis-ing for automobile applications because of their low mass, high strength and good wear resistance.