The effect of reinforcement particles weight percentage on the mechanical properties and plastic flow behaviour of aluminum alloy 7075 matrix material

Abstract

In the present investigation, an aluminum 7075 based hybrid metal matrix composite has been prepared by utilizing the primary reinforcement element (boron carbide with 9 %, 7 %, 5 %, 3 %, and 1 % weight percentage) and secondary reinforcement particles (silicon carbide with 1 %, 3 %, 5 %, 7 %, and 9 % weight percentage) through the well-known stir-casting method. Further, the tensile, hardness and Charpy impact tests were performed on the prepared composite material for mechanical properties evaluation. In addition, an attempt has also been performed to analyze the effect of reinforcement weight percentages (primary and secondary) on the strength coefficient, strain hardening rate and strain hardening exponent of the prepared composite material compositions. The results revealed that sample 1 (aluminum 7075/9 weight percentage boron carbide/1 weight percentage silicon carbide) exhibited the maximum 14.12 percent, 14.25 percent and 19.56 percentage increase in hardness, ultimate tensile strength and yield strength respectively than the matrix material. The strain hardening exponent has been increased with the increase in the weight percentage of silicon carbide. Further, the value of the strength coefficient was decreased with the increase in the weight percentage of boron carbide particles. In addition, stage III hardening was associated with the all developed composite material compositions.