An investigation into the manufacture and mechanical properties of an al-steel hybrid MMC

Abstract

One of the most significant challenges in the composite development field is to find a low-cost manufacturing route capable of producing large volumes of material. This thesis develops and characterises a potential avenue for addressing this, an induction furnace-based process. This process produced a composite of A357 matrix and 10% wt Dramix 3D 80/30 SL steel fibres. Themethodwasevaluatedbymicrostructuralanalysisandoptimumcastingparameterswere approximated. The fibres were introduced to liquid A357 at 700◦C and the composite was brought to a measured temperature of 650◦C over not more than 120 seconds before being removed from the furnace and cooled. 10% wt was the ideal reinforcement ratio for this process. Characterising the tensile and compressive strength of the composite material, it reached a peak stress 130% higher than A357 produced under the same conditions, though the peak stresses were still20%oftheliteraturevaluesforT6temperedA357. Thissuggeststheneedfordevelopmentof a temper which does not degrade the properties of the composite. 3-point bending tests and some tensile specimens also showed post-failure strength. Under dynamic loading, the composite showed a peak stress in excess of 100 MPa without reaching maximum compression under SHPB loading, and comparable performance to SiC-reinforced MMCs under ballistic testing. The linear decrease in work-hardening with increasing distance from the impact site shows shock and pressure-pulse dissipation properties, attributed to the difference in acoustic impedance between the matrix and the reinforcement.