Fe-SiC-Sn-Mn reinforced surface composite via FSP: A comprehensive analysis

This investigation reports a maiden work on the fabrication of surface composite through hybrid reinforcement powders by adding Fe, Mn, and Sn metallic powders to ceramics (SiC) in aluminum AA5083 alloy matrix via friction stir processing. Stitched micrographs were employed to demonstrate the variation in grain size distribution from the stir zone (10 µm) to the base metal (52.68 µm) during the processing. With the aid of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, area mapping and X-ray diffraction analysis, it has been determined how reinforcement was distributed and what phases evolved in the stir zone. Tensile test was performed to evaluate the strength of the fabricated composite and micro-hardness maps indicated a 54.4 % increase in hardness after processing.The observed enhancement is attributed to the Hall-Petch and pinning effect. A potentiodynamic polarization test was carried out to study the corrosion behavior and it was ascertained that corrosion resistance of the processed sample got enhanced because of grain refinement, formation of galvanic couple and breakdown of second phase particles owing to intense stirring. [Display omitted]