SiC and ZrO2 Weigh Percentage Effects on Microstructure of Al Based Matrix Composite Fabricated by Spark Plasma Sintering Method

International Journal of Advanced Engineering, Management and Science (IJAEMS) [Vol-2, Issue-6, June- 2016]
Infogain Publication (Infogainpublication.com) ISSN : 2454-1311
www.ijaems.com Page | 681
SiC and ZrO2 Weigh Percentage Effects on
Microstructure of Al Based Matrix Composite
Fabricated by Spark Plasma Sintering Method
Meysam Toosian, Farzan Barati*, Jamshid Neamati
Department of mechanics, Faculty of enginearing, Hamedan branch, Islamic azad university, Hamedan, Iran
Abstract— SiC and ZrO2 particle are succesfully reaction
synthesized from powder of Al, ZrO2 and SiC using spark
plasma sintering method. The XRD of sintered composite
and microstructure of the aas-sintered products. With the
ZrO2 content increasing, the grains are remarkably
refined and the and the ZrO2 and nano SiC particles are
dispersing more uniformly in Al matrix, forming a
homogeneous structure with the least porosity.
Keywords— Aluminum, Aluminum matrix composite,
zirconium, spark plasma sintering, silicon carbide.
I. INTRODUCTION
Metal matrix Composites (MMS) have a lot of application
in several industries[1].A large number of studies have
been carried out by several researchers because of their
unique properties [2]. Metal matrix Composite are
composed from a Metal matrix phase and had phase as a
reinforcement. Among metal matrix composites, AL
matrix composite are one of the most applicable MMC in
industries such as automobile, aerospace, transformation
and military industry recently, the nanosize particulates
still under consideration Aluminum and it is alloys are
very attractive, powder metallogy because of eutectic
phase formation with low melting point [3-4].
Moreover aluminum melting point in sufficient to be used
as a matrix phase [5-6].
Among various types of reinforcement, both SiC and
ZrO2 are widely used because of their very good
properties. For example, silicon carbide has high elastic
modulus, high strength, excellent thermal resistance, good
corrosion resistance, very good compact abrlily aluminum
matrix phase low cast and it is availability[7-12].
Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is a new and novel sintering
process which includes high pulsed direct current and
uniaxied pressure simultaneously in order to consoliclate
the materials. The SPS technique has high heating and
cooling rates and the pressing time is also very fast [9-
13].
Silicon carbide with very appropriate mechanical
properties and good compatibility with AL and it's. alloys
in one of the best additive as on reinforcement phase.
Jenix rina et al, compared The properties of AL- MMC
reinforced by Zr at four different amount of volume
fraction and showed that Zr particle dispersion is uniform
and the Zr phase can strength the matrix phase[14].
Ozben et al investigated the mechanical and machin
ability properties of SiC particle reinforced AL-
MMC.Results showed that as the reinforcement ratio
increased, the strength, hardness increases so[15].
In the present study, SPS method was employes in order
to produce nano Al- MMC with SiC and ZrO2
reinforcement phase. finaly the effects of reinforcement
phase on bending strength were investigated.
II. SPARK PLASMA SINTERING
Spark plasma sintering method in a very novel powder
deification technology recently.
Spark plasma sintering can be used for synthesis and
processing of ceramics, metals and intermetalics; SPS
method can be compared with the conventional hot
pressing technology.
Also, high density current pulses at low voltage are
applied directly to the powder and the pressing tool. This
mechanism in to generate a spark discharge and rapid
Joule heating between particles of powder.
The fast local increase of temperature and pressure
promotes the elimination af adsorbed gas and breaks the
oxide layer on the surface of metal particles. Spark
plasma sintering method has some advantages such as
rapid heating rate and short holding time.
With considering surface activation effect, sintered bodies
with meta-stable microstructures in nano sized grains can
be achived.
III. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
3.1. Materials
For the preparation of the current MMC, AL and zirconia
powder with more than %99 purity and silicon carbide
powder with 20 nm average size and purity of more than
%98 weres used as initial materials. In order to fabricate
metal matrix composites these powders were mixed based
on weigh ration as show in table 1.

Table 1: weigh percentage of initial material powder.
ZrO2
(%)
SiC
(%)
AL
(%)
code
001001
22962
42943
24944
44925
62926
In order to abtain homogeneous composite alloys, the
mixture was atomized by a plasma rotating electrode
process under argon atmosphere with pressure of 40 Mpa.
In the present research work the (SPS 20T-10 china)
spark plasma device with 40 Mpa pressure, 480°C
sintering temperature at 10 Mpa vacuum state and 6
minute holding time were caried out. At the end of
holding time, the applied current was swrched off and the
sample were kept inside the chamber and cooled to room
temperature. The density of the sintered compacts was
measured with the Archimedes method, then the
specimens were metallographically prepared in the usual,
thoroughly cleaned with alcohol and then dried with a hot
air blower. Micro structural characterization of the
sintered composited was performed using Ziess TEM.
IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1. Density
The density of sintered composites were shown at table 2.
It in worthy to know that all sintered composites have
more than 97 percent relative density and at the worst
state, porosity in less than 0.99%. these results shows that
the selected sintered temperature in proper.
Table 2: relative density and prosity percentage of
sintered composites
Porosiry
(%)
Relative density
(%)
Samples
0.0299.81
0.0998.62
0.1497.93
0.2096.64
0.12975
0.1197.36
4.2. XRD pattern of sintered composites
Figure 1 show XRD pattern for pure AL. Show in figure 1
there in not no identified peak that in not related to pure
AL.
IT in worthy to know that the in XRD shows that no
oxidation has been occurred during sintering process.
XRD pattern of sample 6 (%92 Al, %2 SiC, %6 ZrO2) in
showed at figure 2. IT in clear that no oxidation were take
placed during sintering procedure.
XRD pattern of samples 2,3,4 and 5 are illustrated at
figure 3 and the some results were obtaind as illustrated
for sample 1 and sample 6.
Fig.1: XRD pattern for pure Al
Fig.2: XRD pattern for sintered composite (%92 Al, %2
SiC, %6ZrO2)
Figure 3. sintered composite XRD pattern for different
additive weigh percentage

4.3. Microstructure results
The microstructure of SPS samples show a homogeneous
distribution of small pores with a maximum diameter of
0.2 for AL sintered. As shown in figure 4, SEM
microstructure Image for sintered AL 1 sample illustrate
that this homogeneous distribution can be as a result of
proper sintering temperature. Figure 5 shows the typical
microstructures of sintered composites for different SiC
and ZrO2 weigh percentage. Figure 5 show homogeneous
microstructure for sintered composites. In addition , with
the ZrO2 content increasing, the structure of the sintered
composites becomes finer with remarkably refined grains
of the composites with ZrO2 and SiC particles remaining
on the ground boundaries . From a comprehensive
observation of the microstructures, there are pores that
existed, which quantitatively decrease with ZrO2 content
increasing.
Fig.4: SEM Image for sintered pure Al.
Fig.5. SEM Image for sintered composite %94 Al-%2
SiC-%4 ZrO2
V. CONCLUSION
Al / Sic / ZrO2 compositor can be produced from the
powder mixture of Al, SiC and ZrO2 by way of spark
plasma sintering method. By using SEM and XRD Image
following results were obtained
1- ZrO2 and SiC particle disperse on the grain boundaries
and play a demand rate fore qroaing the matrix phase.
2- using SPS method leads to homogeneous structure with
relatively nonporous structure.
3- Rapid sintering mechanism makes no chance fore
particle growth, therefore high density and low porosity
percentage composites were obtained.
4- XRD Image show that no oxidation and phase
decomposition accrued during sintering process.
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SiC and ZrO2 Weigh Percentage Effects on Microstructure of Al Based Matrix Composite Fabricated by Spark Plasma Sintering Method

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SiC and ZrO2 Weigh Percentage Effects on Microstructure of Al Based Matrix Composite Fabricated by Spark Plasma Sintering Method