Author : Ankit Mittal and Ramnarayan Muni

Metal matrix composites are engineered materials with a combination of two or more dissimilar materials to obtain enhanced properties The widwspread acceptance of particulate metal matrix composites(mmc) for engineering application has been hindered by the high cost of producing components Advance composite materials metal matrix composite is gradually becoming very important materials in manufacturing industries e.g. aerospace, automotive and automobile industries due to their superior properties such as light weight, low density, high strength to weight ratio, high hardness. In the present investigation Al(6061) alloy was used as the matrix and rice husk ash and copper as reinforcements. The RHA used here because it is the only agricultural waste containing largest amount of silica in it. And it is abundantly produced in india every year. For increasing wettability between metal matrix and reinforcing particles magnesium is used here. The hybrid metal matrix composite was produced using stir casting techniques. The rice husk ash were added in 8%, 16%, 24%, 32% by weight and copper 3% by weight to the molten metal. The MMCs bars are prepared with varying the reinforced particles by weight fraction and with/without copper. It was observed that specimens containing copper shows improved values for hardness than specimens containing only rice husk ash. The hardness increased linearly with increasing the weight percentage of reinforcing particles.

Keywords: MMC, Al6061, RHA

Article published in International Journal of Current  Engineering  and Technology, Vol.3,No.5(Dec- 2013)