Achieving optimal conditions for manufacturing of A356 aluminum alloy/ BN(h) composite using stir casting

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

• M Moshrefifar

Abstract

In the present investigation, a A356 aluminum alloy based composite has been produced by the addition of boron nitride powder with three different conditions including raw powders, coated powder using Ni-P electroless bath and coated aluminum particles with Ni-P/ BN_(h) surface composite. Moreover, parameters such as impeller shape and rotation speed have been examined in order to obtain optimized conditions. The results based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) showed that the pre-treatment has a main role in deposition of Ni-P on the surface of BN(h) powders. Also, it was obtained that optimum pretreatment consisting of oxidation in 200 ºC for 1 hr, sensitization in 10g/l SnCl₂+30ml/l HCl solution for 15 minutes and then activation in 0.25 g/l PdCl₂ +30ml/l HCl solution. Moreover, results showed that the optimum value of added powders was 6% after coating on aluminum particles using the Ni-P electroless bath. Furthermore, the agitator of four-blade type with a radial flow was a good choice for the manufacture of aluminum/boron nitride composite. Also, it was shown that tensile strength of composite materials is not proportional with hardness, so that the tensile strength can decrease while hardness increases.

Keywords

• composite
• Boron Nitride
• A356 Al alloy
• Ni-P electroless
• mechanical properties
• stir casting

20.1001.1.22285946.1396.8.29.11.0

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