Abstract
This work focusses on the production of sustainable metal metrics composites MMCs. The scrap aluminum alloy wheel (SAAW) was used as a metrics and alumina is used as a reinforcement. The process parameters (namely squeeze pressure and time, die preheating temperature and stirrer speed) were optimized using Taguchi method to produce the alumina reinforced-aluminum matrix composites (AMCs). These stir-casted composites were characterized based on their hardness, tensile and compression strengths and wear/tribological properties. The results showed that addition of alumina to aluminum matrix has improved the mechanical and tribological performance. From, Taguchi analysis the optimized 9 approaches (L1 to L9) were obtained and, L5 and L6 methods showed optimum mechanical properties with 100 MPa squeeze pressure, 30 to 40 sec squeeze time, 250 to 350°C die preheating temperature and 450 to 525 rpm stirrer speed process parameters. It was found that properties are process parameters dependent. The produced AMCs have many potential industrial applications including applications in piping industry.
