Investigations on Mechanical Properties of Micro- and Nano-Particulates (Al2 O3/B4C) Reinforced in Al 7075 Matrix Composite

The objective of this study was to investigate the improvement made on the mechanical properties of the composites by the addition of micro- and nanoparticles to aluminium matrix. The micro- and nano-composites having different weight percentages of particles were fabricated using stir-casting and ultrasonic cavitation probe-assisted casting processes, and they were characterized using metallurgical microscope and scanning electron microscope. The mechanical properties of the composites, such as tensile strength, impact strength, and hardness, were analysed as per the ASTM standards. The analysis indicated that the nanoparticles’ reinforcement in aluminium matrix composite significantly improved the mechanical properties compared to the micro-particles owing to their high surface energy.