Influence of rock dust reinforcement on mechanical properties of Al composite using friction stir processing

Aluminium metal matrix composites (AMMCs) are attractive and effective materials due to their tailored properties for outstanding applications, like high specific strength, lightweight, high specific stiffness, excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance and high elastic modulus than the base metal matrix. These materials are widely used in aerospace, automobile, marine, mining and mechanical structural applications. In the present study, rock dust was considered as reinforcement particles in various wt % (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10) in aluminium material. Rock dust is a by-product of the crushing processes of rocks in the production of gravel aggregates. The purpose of this investigation is to identify the influence of rock dust reinforcements on mechanical and wear properties of aluminium-based surface composites fabricated through the Friction Stir Processing (FSP). Traverse speed, rotational speed and tool tilt angle are fixed input parameters. From the experimental results it was observed that in the fabricated composite, rock dust addition to Al material gives better wear-resistant characteristics. Enhanced trends occurred in Impact strength and micro-hardness values due to the addition of reinforcements to the aluminium material.