Production of composite material

1. International INTERNATIONAL Journal of Mechanical JOURNAL Engineering OF and MECHANICAL Technology (IJMET), ISSN ENGINEERING
0976 – 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 – 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 9, September (2014), pp. 394-399 © IAEME
AND TECHNOLOGY (IJMET)
ISSN 0976 – 6340 (Print)
ISSN 0976 – 6359 (Online)
Volume 5, Issue 9, September (2014), pp. 394-399
© IAEME: www.iaeme.com/IJMET.asp
Journal Impact Factor (2014): 7.5377 (Calculated by GISI)
www.jifactor.com
394
IJMET
© I A E M E
PRODUCTION OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL
Kesavulu.A1, Mr. F.AnandRaju2, Dr. M.L.S.Deva Kumar3
1PG Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SIETK, JNTUA, Puttur (India)
2Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SIETK, JNTUA, Puttur (India)
3Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, JNTUA, Ananthapuramu, (india)
ABSTRACT
Metal matrix composites [MMC] are most important materials used for recent works in the
industry and engineering applications. Fly ash particles are used in metal matrix composites, are low
costand low density are available in large quantities of waste by product in power plants. The adding
of fly ash with aluminium reinforcement by using stir casting process it can reduces the cost and
density of aluminium material. Metal composite processes are improved mechanical properties like
strength, hardness, low density and good wear resistance compared to other metals. In this study,
aluminium clad and fly ash chemical analysis is studied before and after mixing and forming as
particulate metal matrix composite and comparing the mechanical, physical properties of the MMC
at varying % of fly ash addition. By comparison at various levels 15% of fly ash the MMC gives
good mechanical and physical properties. This type of MMC is widely useful in light weight vehicles
and aerospace application.
Keywords: Aluminium, Chemical Analysis, Fly Ash, Mechanical Properties, Stir Casting.
1. INTRODUCTION
Aluminium fly ash metal matrix composite is strengthen composite in which soft and ductile
aluminium matrix is strengthen by the hard and brittle fly ash particles. Discontinuously reinforced
aluminium based metal matrix composites are improving their high strength, high isotropic and good
wear resistance. Discontinuously reinforcement aluminium composites have been developed in the
various fields like aerospace, automotive and many other engineering applications [1].
Fly ash particles are low cost, low density and available in large quantities of waste by-product
in thermal power plants and industries. In this study, fly ash particles are generated in the
combustion of coal is chosen to reinforcement material. In India coal produces about 1100 lacks tons
of fly ash per year from burning about 2500 lacks tons coal for power generation [2]. Present days

2. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 – 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 – 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 9, September (2014), pp. 394-399 © IAEME
fly ash utilization improved and reduces the pollution in environment, now in present day’s fly ash is
focusing and improving their investigating in various fields like MMCs, bricks, agricultural and etc.
By adding fly ash reinforcement with commercially aluminium to make aluminium fly ash
composite is improving their properties in strength and hardness and reduces the weight of the
commercially aluminium. Hence, composites with fly ash reinforcement are overcome the cost
barrier for wide applications. By adding of commercially aluminium with fly ashis decreases the
need of intensive energy-aluminium, by resulting in energy savings [3]. By mixing the aluminium fly
ash composites by using stir casting process method,in stir casting process is mixing conventionally
in directly furnace it will reduce the time for mixing the aluminium and fly ash. Mixing the
aluminium with fly ash particles in the ratio of 5% to 20% of weight in the commercially aluminium.
395
To studied on commercially aluminium and fly ash chemical analysis in testing Laborites.
Hence, studied before and after physical and mechanical properties of aluminium fly ash metal
matrix composite and also comparing with pure commercially aluminium. The aluminium fly ash
composite are mainly used in aerospace, industries and other engineering application.
2. EXPERIMENTAL WORK
2.1 Raw Materials
The matrix material is used in the experiment investigation of commercially aluminium. The
fly ash was collected from the Lanco industries. The particle size of the fly as is sieved the range
from (0.1-100 μm).
2.2 Melting and Casting
First of all, 150gm of commercially aluminium was melted in a resistance heated furnace and
casted in a mild steel die. The melt temperature was raised to 7200C. Then the aluminium-fly ash
(5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) composites were prepared by stir casting method. The 150gm of
commercially aluminium and then (5, 10, 15, 20) wt% of fly ash was added to the aluminium melt
for production of four different composites. The fly ash particles were preheated to 300oC for
threehours to remove the moisture. Commercially aluminium was melted by raising its temperature
to 720oC. Then the melt was stirred using a mild steel stirrer blades. Fly ash particles were added to
the melt at the time of formation of vortex in the melt due to stirring. The melt temperature was
maintained at 6800C to 7200C during the addition of the fly ash particles. Then the melt was casted in
a mild steel die. The hardness measurement testing was carried out Al (5, 10, 15 and 20) wt% fly ash
composites. The hardness of the samples was determined by Rock well hardness testing machine
with 65 kgf load and diamond cone. The detention time for the hardness measurement was 15sec.
The tensile strength of the samples was determined by the universal testing machine.
2.3 Mechanical Properties Observation
Hardness Test
Hardness test is done by the Rockwell Ahardness testing machine and taken the different
composite samples.
Tensile Test
Tensile test is done by the universal testing machine by taken the different composite
samples.

3. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 – 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 – 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 9, September (2014), pp. 394-399 © IAEME
396
2.4 Design and Manufactured a Die
Fig. 1: 2D Dimensions for die
Fig. 2 Die
2.5 List of Experimental Work Figures
Fig. 3 Furnace Fig. 5 Rock well hardness

4. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 – 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 – 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 9, September (2014), pp. 394-399 © IAEME
Component Al Cr Cu Fe Mg
Weight (%) 87.1 – 91.4 0.18 – 0.28 1.2 – 2 Max 0.5 2.1 – 2
Mn Other, each Other, total Si Ti Zn
Max 0.3 Max 0.05 Max 0.15 Max 0.4 Max 0.2 5.1 – 6.1
397
Fig. 4: Sieve machine Fig. 6: Universal testing machine
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Chemical Analysis of Commercially Aluminium
Table 1: Chemical analysis of commercially aluminium
3.2
Physical and Mechanical Properties of Commercially Aluminium
Density – 2.81g/cm3
Hardness HRA – 50
Tensile strength – 572 MPa
3.3 Chemical Analysis of Fly Ash
Table 2: Chemical analysis of fly ash
COMPONENTS PERCENTAGE (%)
Silicon dioxide (SiO2) 67.15
Aluminium oxide (Al2O3) 29.5
Iron oxide (Fe2O3) 0.15
Calcium oxide (Cao) 1.5
Magnesium oxide (Mgo) 1.7
3.4 Hardness Measurement
Table 3: Hardness measurement
Composite samples Hardness
Aluminium (%) Fly ash (%) HRA
95 5 53
90 10 56.2
85 15 58.9
80 20 60.15

5. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 – 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 – 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 9, September (2014), pp. 394-399 © IAEME
5 10 15 20
Fly ash (%wt.)
5 10 15 20
Fly ash (% of wt.)
398
62
60
58
56
54
52
50
48
Hardness HRA
Fig. 7: Graph showing variations in Fly ash vs. hardness
The above table shows that incorporation of fly ash particles in Aluminium matrix causes
reasonable increase in hardness. The strength of the composite can be due to dispersion
strengthening as well as due to particle reinforcement. Thus, fly ash as filler in aluminium casting is
low cost, decreases density and increase hardness which are needed in various industries like
automotive etc.
3.5 Tensile Strength Measurements
Table 4: Tensile strength measurement
Composite samples Ultimate Tensile
Aluminium (%) Fly ash (%) strength (MPa)
95 5 578
90 10 585
85 15 591.3
80 20 588.6
595
590
585
580
575
570
Tensile stregth in MPa
Fig. 8: Graph showing variations in Fly ash vs. Tensile strength
The above table shows that the tensile strength will be increasing up to sample 3 (15%).
Hence the hardness increases the tensile strength will decreasing.

6. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 – 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 – 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 9, September (2014), pp. 394-399 © IAEME
399
4. CONCLUSION
1. From the study it’s concluded that we can use fly ash for the production of composites and can turn
industrial waste.
2. Fly ash up to 20% of weight can be successfully added to aluminium by stir casting methods to
produce composites.
3. The density of aluminium-fly ash is decreased with increase in addition of fly ash and the density
will be reduced.
4. The hardness of aluminium-fly ash has increased with increase in addition of fly ash the hardness
will be increased.
5. The tensile strength of aluminium-fly ash is increased up to 15% of fly ash is added in the
aluminium.
5. REFERENCES
[1] Mahendra.K.V and Radhakrishna. K, Castable composites and their application in automobiles,
Proc. IMechE Vol. 221 Part D: J. Automobile Engineering, (2007): pp. 135-140
[2] P. Shanmughasundaram1, R. Subramanian2 “Some Studies on Aluminium-Fly Ash Composites
Fabricated by Two Step Stir Casting Method”, European Journal of Scientific Research ISSN
1450-216X Vol.63 No.2 (2011), pp.204-218.
[3] P. K. Rohatgi and R. Q. Guo, “Low Cost Cast Aluminium – Fly Ash Composites for Ultra light
Automotive Application”, TMS Annual Meeting, Automotive Alloys, (1997)
[4] Deepak singla1, S.R. Mediratta2, “Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Al 7075-Fly Ash
Composite Material”, International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and
Technology ISSN: 2319-8753 Vol. 2, Issue 4, April 2013
[5] H.C. Anilkumar1, H.S. Hebbar2 and K.S. Ravishankar3 “Mechanical Properties of Fly Ash
Reinforced Aluminium Alloy (Al6061) Composites”, International Journal of Mechanical and
Materials Engineering (IJMME), Vol.6 (2011), No.1, 41-45
[6] sankar.L1, Srinivasan.R2, Viswanathan.P3 and Subramanian.R4, “Comparison Study of Al-Fly
Ash Composites In Automobile Clutch Plates”, from internet
[7] Vivekananthan1 M. and Senthamarai2 k., “Experimental Evaluation of Aluminium-Fly Ash
Composite Material to Increase the Mechanical Wear Behaviour by Stir Casting Method”,
CARE Journal of Applied Research (ISSN 2321-4090)
[8] K.V. MAHENDRA1, K. R ADHAKRISHNA2, “Fabrication of Al–4.5% Cu Alloy with Fly Ash
Metal Matrix Composites and Its Characterization”, material science-poland, Vol.25, No.1 2007
[9] Hull D, Clyne T W, “An Introduction to Composite Materials, Cambridge”, UK: Cambridge
Univ. Press, 1996
[10] Matthews F.L., Ralwlings R.D, “Composite materials engineering and science”, Glasgow, UK,
Champaman and hall, 1994
[11] DRDO “Composite Materials”, Popular Science Technology (PST) series is being published
by DESIDOC, was published in the year 1990
[12] Rohatgi P.K, Metal-matrix Composites, Defence Science Journal, Vol 43, No 4, (1993):
pp 323-349.
[13] R.Maguteeswarana, Dr. R.Sivasubramanian and V.Suresh, “Study and Investigation of Analysis
of Metal Matrix Composite”, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Technology
(IJMET), Volume 3, Issue 2, 2012, pp. 171 - 188, ISSN Print: 0976 – 6340, ISSN Online:
0976 – 6359.
[14] R.Maguteeswarana, Dr. R.Sivasubramanian and V.Suresh, “Methodology Study and Analysis of
Magnesium Alloy Metal Matrix Composites” International Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Technology (IJMET), Volume 3, Issue 2, 2012, pp. 217 - 224, ISSN Print: 0976 – 6340,
ISSN Online: 0976 – 6359.