INFLUENCE OF SiCP REINFORCEMENT ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FUNCTIONALLY GRADED ALUMINUM METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES FABRICATED BY CENTRIFUGAL CASTING TECHNIQUE

The influence of the addition of silicon carbide (SiC) reinforcement on the microstructural and mechanical properties of functionally graded aluminum metal matrix composites fabricated through the centrifugal casting technique was investigated. Hardness and tensile strength testing were carried out on reinforced and non-reinforced cast materials. The overall hardness of the cast samples were found to be 102 HV100, 106.8 HV100, 111HV100 and 112.7 HV100 for 0 wt.%, 1 wt.%, 3 wt.%, and 5 wt.% of SiC reinforcement respectively while the tensile strength of was observed to be 339.0 MPa, 355.0 MPa, 369.0 MPa and 374.5 MPa respectively. Owing to the movement of the reinforcements to both ends of the samples due to centrifugal force, the mechanical properties of the fabricated functionally graded materials was observed to be improved at both ends of the samples compared to their centers