Sains Malaysiana 53(3)(2024): 705-717

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2024-5303-17

 

Effect of Short Heat Treatments on the Microstructural Evolution and Hardness of Thixoformed Graphene Reinforced Aluminium Composites

(Kesan Rawatan Haba Singkat terhadap Evolusi Mikrostruktur dan Kekerasan Komposit Aluminium Diperkuat Grafen Pembentukan Tikso)

 

NUR FARAH BAZILAH WAKHI ANUAR1,2, MOHD ZAIDI OMAR1, MOHD SHUKOR SALLEH2,*, WAN FATHUL HAKIM W. ZAMRI1 & AFIFAH MD ALI1

 

1Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

2Fakulti Teknologi dan Kejuruteraan Industri dan Pembuatan, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka, Malaysia

 

Received: 26 September 2023/Accepted: 15 February 2024

 

Abstract

Aluminium metal matrix composites are increasingly being used in numerous industries due to their lightweight nature and high strength. The incorporation of graphene into aluminium metal matrix composites has garnered significant interest owing to graphene's capacity to enhance numerous properties concurrently. Hence, this study aimed to fabricate a 0.3 wt.% graphene nanoplatelets reinforced A356 alloy (GNP-A356) composite through stir casting followed by thixoforming and short T6 heat treatment processes. It also evaluated the microstructure and mechanical properties of GNP-A356 after the thixoforming process and short T6 heat treatment. The microstructure of alloy and composite was confirmed by optical microstructure, field emission scanning electron microscopy images, and X-ray diffraction. Microstructure investigations demonstrate the impact of the stirring process on the structural transformation of the 𝛼-Al phase from the dendritic into a rosette-like and globular-like structure. The result also indicated that there was a transformation of eutectic silicon from the shape of a needle-like to spheroid structure after a short heat treatment, showing the efficiency of T6 heat treatment with a shorter time of solution treatment and ageing. Moreover, the increase in relative density and addition of reinforcement led to a significant increment in hardness. The result shows the hardness improved by 35.77% and 77.8% for as-cast and heat-treated composites, respectively, compared to A356 alloy.

 

Keywords: Aluminum alloy; aluminium matrix composite; graphene; short T6 heat treatment; Thixoforming

 

Abstrak

Penggunaan komposit matriks logam aluminium semakin meningkat dalam pelbagai industri kerana sifatnya yang ringan dan kekuatan yang tinggi. Penggabungan grafen ke dalam komposit matriks logam aluminium telah mendapat kepentingan yang ketara kerana keupayaan grafen dalam meningkatkan keupayaan pelbagai sifat secara serentak. Komposit matriks logam aluminium semakin meningkat dalam pelbagai industri kerana cirinya yang ringan dan kekuatan tinggi. Penggabungan grafen ke dalam komposit matriks logam aluminium telah menarik minat kerana keupayaan grafen meningkatkan pelbagai ciri secara serentak. Oleh itu, kajian ini bertujuan menghasilkan komposit aloi A356 diperkuat 0.3 bt.% grafen nanoplatelet (GNP-A356) melalui adukan tuangan diikuti dengan proses pembentukan-tikso dan rawatan haba T6 singkat. Kajian ini juga menilai mikrostruktur dan sifat mekanik GNP-A356 selepas pembentukan-tikso dan rawatan haba T6 singkat. Mikrostruktur dikaji menggunakan mikrostruktur optik, imej mikroskop elektron pengimbasan pelepasan medan, dan pembelauan sinar-X. Penyelidikan mikrostruktur menunjukkan kesan proses adukan ke atas transformasi struktur fasa 𝛼-Al daripada dendritik kepada struktur seakan roset dan sfera. Hasil kajian juga menunjukkan bahawa terdapat transformasi eutektik silikon daripada bentuk seakan jarum kepada struktur sferoid selepas rawatan haba singkat yang menunjukkan kecekapan rawatan haba T6 dengan masa larutan rawatan dan masa penuaan yang singkat. Selain itu, peningkatan dalam ketumpatan relatif dan penambahan tetulang membawa kepada peningkatan yang ketara dalam kekerasan Keputusan menunjukkan terdapat peningkatan kekerasan sebanyak 35.77% dan 77.8% untuk komposit tuangan dan komposit dirawat haba, masing-masing, berbanding aloi A356.

 

Kata kunci: Aloi aluminum; grafen; komposit matriks aluminium; pembentukan tikso; rawatan haba T6 singkat

 

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*Corresponding author; email: shukor@utem.edu.my

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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