Investigating the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al5083-ZrB2 nanocomposite made by situ-stir casting and in situ synthesis

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

masoud motamedi yegane

Ali Aliadeh

University Complex of Materials and Manufacturing Technologies, Malek Ashtar University of Technology (MUT), Tehran, Tehran, Iran

10.22067/jmme.2025.89865.1160

Abstract

This study, the effect of adding zirconium diboride (ZrB2) nanoparticles on the microstructure and tensile properties of Al5083 aluminum matrix composite was studied. Al5083-5wt% ZrB2 and Al5083-10wt% ZrB2 nanocomposites were produced by situ-stir casting at 1000°C using in-situ synthesis. Then, the samples were subjected to hot extrusion for uniform distribution of the reinforcements in the matrix. The ZrB2 nanoparticles used in this study were processed in situ using cryolite (Na3AlF6), zirconium oxide (ZrO2) and potassium tetrafluoroboride (KBF4) in molten aluminum. X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy (OM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) were used to investigate the microstructure, surfaces and fracture mechanism of the samples, and tensile testing was used to evaluate the mechanical properties. The tensile test results showed that the addition of 10% by weight of ZrB2 particles, compared to the sample without reinforcement, increased the ultimate tensile strength by 18.2% and reduced the strain by 19.5%. Also, the additional extrusion process reduced the porosity resulting in increased density.

Keywords

In situ synthesis

aluminum 5083

vortex casting

zirconium diboride

zirconium diboride nanoparticles

Subjects

• Nanomaterials

---

References

[1] P.D.Khatibi, M.Saeidi, A.Latifi, Nanostructure & Nanocomposites. Danesh poyan javan,  2006.

[2] N. Chawla and K. K. Chawla, “Microstructure-based modeling of the deformation behavior of particle reinforced metal matrix composites,” Journal of Materials Science, vol. 41, pp. 913–925, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-6572-1

[3] M. Singla, D. D. Dwivedi, L. Singh, and V. Chawla, “Development of aluminium based silicon carbide particulate metal matrix composite,” Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 455–467, 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jmmce.2009.86040

[4] S. Kim, C. G. Lee, and S. J. Kim, “Fatigue crack propagation behavior of friction stir welded 5083-H32 and 6061-T651 aluminum alloys,” Materials Science and Engineering: A, vol. 478, no. 1-2, pp. 56–64, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2007.06.008

[5] C. Raghunath, M. S. Bhat, and P. K. Rohatgi, “In situ technique for synthesizing Fe-TiC composites,” Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 577–582, 1995. https://doi.org/10.1016/0956-716X(95)90840-G 

[6] R. M. German, Powder metallurgy and particulate materials processing: the processes, materials, products, properties, and applications. Randall M. German, 2005.

[7] M. F. Najafabadi and M. A. Golozar, “Pilot in-Situ Production of AL-TiB2 and AL-ZrB2 Composites Using Reactive Slag,” Journal of Advanced Materials in Engineering (Esteghlal), vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 179–188, 2022. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.2251600.1383.23.1.11.7 

[8] Y. Chen and D. D. L. Chung, “In situ Al-TiB composite obtained by stir casting,” Journal of Materials Science, vol. 31, pp. 311–315, 1996. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01139145

 [9] S. A. Sajjadi, H. R. Ezatpour, and M. Torabi Parizi, “Comparison of microstructure and mechanical properties of A356 aluminum alloy/Al₂O₃ composites fabricated by stir and compo-casting process,” Materials and Design, vol. 34, pp. 106–111, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2011.07.037

[10]  S. A. Sajjadi, H. R. Ezatpour, and H. Beygi, “Microstructure and mechanical properties of Al–Al₂O₃ micro and nano composites fabricated by stir casting,” Materials Science and Engineering: A, vol. 528, no. 29-30, pp. 8765–8771, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2011.08.052

 [11] A. Alizadeh and E. Taheri-Nassaj, “Mechanical properties and wear behavior of Al-2wt.%Cu alloy composites reinforced by B₄C and fabricated by mechanical milling and hot extrusion,” Materials Characterization, vol. 67, pp. 119–128, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2012.02.006  

[12]  S. Schamm, R. Fedou, J. P. Rocher, J. M. Quenisset, and R. Naslain, “The K₂ZrF₆ Wetting Process: Effect of Surface Chemistry on the Ability of a SiC-Fiber Preform to be Impregnated by Aluminum,” Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, vol. 22, no. 9, pp. 2133–2139, 1991. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02669881  

[13]   A. R. Norouzi, “Investigation of the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-TiB₂ nanocomposite made by vortex casting method for aerospace applications,” The Fourth International Conference on Nanotechnology Science and Development, 2009. https://civilica.com/doc/1196851   

 [14] M. Emami and E. Tahbazfar, “Mechanism of TiB₂ particle formation in Al-TiB₂ metal matrix composite by alloy-alloy method,” Journal of Tehran University of Technology, vol. 36, pp. 223–230, 2002.

[15]  H. Mir Hosseini and V. A. Asadi, “Fabrication and investigation of heat treatment of Al356-Al₂O₃ cast composite,” Fifth Annual Congress of the Iranian Society of Metallurgical Engineers, Amirkabir University of Technology, 2001. https://civilica.com/doc/101764

 [16] N. Chawla and K. Chawla, Metal Matrix Composites. Isfahan University of Technology, First Edition, 2008. https://www.gisoom.com/book/1506017/

[17] A. Abdollahi, “Investigation of mechanical properties of Al2024-B₄C nanocomposite produced by mechanical alloying and hot extrusion,” Malek Ashtar University of Technology, 2012. https://civilica.com/doc/1908806  

[18] M. C. Carroll, Improvements to the strength and corrosion resistance of aluminum-magnesium-manganese alloys of near-AA5083 chemistry. The Ohio State University, 2001.

[19] Q. Xing, J. Zhao, H. Pan, L. Hou, and R. Li, “Effect of scandium and zirconium combination alloying on as-cast microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-4Cu-1.5Mg alloy,” School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Liaoning Province, China, 110870.

 [20] Y. L. Song, Y. H. Liu, S. H. Wang, S. R. Yu, and X. Y. Zhu, “Effect of cerium addition on microstructure and corrosion resistance of die cast AZ91 magnesium alloy,” Materials and Corrosion, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 189–192, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1002/maco.200603988