A study on microstructure and mechanical properties of Al 6061-TiB2 in-situ composites

In-situ reinforced aluminium-based metal matrix composites (AMMCs) are one of the most promising alternatives for eliminating the inherent defects associated with ex-situ reinforced AMMCs. Liquid metallurgy is the most widely adopted technique for the development of in-situ composites, but the route using master alloys is a relatively new processing technique. Al 6061-TiB2 in-situ composites were fabricated by the liquid metallurgy route using Al 6061 as the matrix material and Al-10%Ti and Al-3%B as reactive reinforcements. XRD, metallographic studies, EDAX analysis, microhardness, grain size analysis and tensile strength tests were carried out on the composites. The developed composites exhibited superior structural properties when compared with base alloy.