Synthesis and characterization of AA 6061- Graphene - SiC hybrid nanocomposites processed through microwave sintering

As one of the most essential industrial and engineering materials, Aluminum alloy 6061 have been extensively used in automobile industries and many engineering applications due to its impending properties like low density, good structural rigidity, feasibility to incorporate and enhance the strength by addition of various reinforcing materials. The essential criteria in enhancing the properties without sacrificing the ductility is always challenging in Aluminum and its alloys based composites. In the recent years, enormous research has been carried on ceramic based and carbon based reinforcement materials used in Aluminum metal matrix composites. But the combination of both is never tried so far due to lack of processing methods. The current research work is carried out to process, synthesize and perform the characterization of Al 6061 matrix nanocomposites with Graphene of flake size 10 μm and SiC of particle size 10 pm as reinforcement combinations in various proportions (weight percentage) which are carried out through powder metallurgy (PM) approach. The powders are processed through ultrasonic liquid processing method and the mixtures were ball milled by adding SiC particles followed by uniaxial hot compaction. Thus prepared compacts are sintered (conventional and microwave) and mechanical properties like hardness, density are investigated as a function of Graphene and SiC concentrations (weight fraction). Relevant strengthening mechanism involved in the Al6061 - Graphene -SiC composites in comparison with monolithic Al 6061 alloy were discussed.