Development and Property Evaluation of Cryogenically Solidified Metal Matrix Composites

The metal matrix composite (MMC) have become the leading material in aerospace and automobile industries and particle reinforced aluminium MMC`s have received a considerable attention due to their excellent mechanical properties like hardness, high tensile strength etc. Aluminium matrix composites refer to the class of light weight high performance aluminium centric material systems. The addition of zirconia to the aluminium alloy reduces the thermal conductivity and coefficient of expansion, and provides a material which has, particularly at elevated temperatures above 300°C, improved mechanical properties such as tensile strength, compressive strength, hardness and elongation. The purpose of the project is to study above mechanical properties of Aluminium LM13 with zirconium oxide in cryogenic condition by varying zirconium oxide with 2, 4, 6 and 8% particulate using sand casting process with different chilling thickness 5mm and 10mm. An improved mechanical property of composites makes them very useful for various applications in many areas from technological point of view. The microstructure and hardness of the fabricated composites were analysed and reported.