FRICTION STIR PROCESSED AA6061 WITH B4C – GRAPHITE HYBRID SURFACE COMPOSITE AND ITS MECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR

In this study, A6061-B4C-Graphite hybrid surface composites were fabricated with different volume percentages using micron sized particles via friction stir processing technique in order to increase the surface mechanical properties. Tool rotational speed and traverse speed were fixed at 710 rpm and 40 mm/min respectively. A groove was provided on the 5 mm thick A6061 plates and packed with B4C and graphite particles. The fabricated surface composites have been examined by an optical microscope in order to verify the dispersion of reinforcement particles and found that B4C and Graphite particles are uniformly dispersed in the stir zone. It is also observed that the hardness at higher volume percentage increases due to the presence of hard B4C particles. The examined mechanical properties have been related to microstructure.