ALFA: Fly ash - Aluminium metal matrix composites for light weight material

Abstract

In the present work, properties such as wear rate, hardness, impact energy and microstructure of the Aluminum-fly ash composite synthesized by stir casting were investigated by varying the fly ash in the range of 5 and 15 by weight %. The phase identification and structural characterization was carried out on ALFA composites using SEM and EDAX tests and it was found that there was a uniform distribution of fly ash particles in the aluminum matrix phase. The hardness and the wear resistance increased and the impact energy decreased as the fly ash content in the ALFA composite was increased and it can be used as a light weight material for many engineering and non-engineering applications.