Compressive Strength of the Mineral Reinforced Aluminium Alloy Composite

This paper presents the results of quasi-static compressive strength of aluminium alloy reinforced with different concentration of rutile mineral particles. The reinforced material shows increase in compressive strength with 5 wt% rutile concentration as compared to the base alloy. This increase in compressive strength of composite is attributed to direct strengthening due to transfer of load from lower stiffness matrix (LM13 alloy) to higher stiffness reinforcement (rutile particles). Indirect strengthening mechanisms like increase in dislocation density at the matrix-reinforcement interface, grain size refinement of the matrix and dispersion strengthening are also the contributing factors. The decrease in compressive strength of composite with the increased concentration of rutile concentration beyond 5 wt.% can be attributed to the increase in dislocation density due to the void formation at the matrix-reinforcement interface.