Experimental Correlation Between Silicon Carbide And Hardness Values in Heat- Treated Al-Si-Fe/Sic Particulate Composites

Abstract

The effect of varying silicon carbide on the hardness values of heat–treated Al-Si-Fe/SiC particulate composites have been investigated. 5-25% SiC additions were used for the production of different grades of Al-Si-Fe/SiC particulate composites. The composites samples were solution heat-treated at 500oC for 3hours and quenched in warm water at 65oC, aged at100, 200, and 300oC with various ageing time between 60 to 660minutes at 60minutes. Hardness measurements were made using Rockwell hardness tester. Experimental correlations obtained between the varying silicon carbide addition, heat-treatment parameters and the hardness values were analyzed using kinetic of ageing and factorial analysis (2K). The results show that hardness increases with increasing percentage of silicon carbide addition in the alloy and decreases with increasing ageing time. These results, which are in agreement with the experimental findings for these ageing time and temperatures. Show a substantial improvement in hardness has been achieved in the reinforced metal matrices produced.

Keywords: Al-Si-Fe/SiC, Ageing, Composite, Hardness values, Solution Heattreated, Particulate and silicon carbide.