A study on weldability of aa6061 metal matrix composites reinforced with sic b4c sic tib2 using friction stir joining process

Abstract

The present research study is on the fabrication and Friction Stir newlineWelding (FSW) of an aluminium metal matrix composites. Despite several newlinemethods available for synthesizing of composites, stir casting method is used newlinefor fabricating composites due to its inherent advantages. Ceramic particles newlineSiC, B4C, and TiB2 are used as reinforcement for AA6061 matrix metal. The newlineobtained matrix composites from the die are sectioned into the dimensions newlineof 140 x 120 x 8 mm as plates. Further, plates are subjected to friction stir newlinewelding for feasibility studies. Friction stir welding is an advanced welding newlineprocess and has been used extensively in joining of dissimilar metals, thin newlinesheets and plastics. In recent years, Friction Stir Welding (FSW) gains a newlinesignificant attention due to its exceptional features like low weld energies, newlinereliability and applicability of wide range of materials. Friction stir welding is newlinewidely used welding technique for joining of similar and dissimilar newlinealuminium based composites. Other advantages of FSW process include newlinegreater accuracy, efficiency, longer tool life, and no filler or flux needed. As newlinethere is no heat generated or transferred in the process, it is often called as newlineenvironment friendly process. This work focuses on mechanical and newlinemetallurgical aspects of friction stir welded joints of the fabricated newlinecomposites. Therefore, FSW process applicability of joining of newlineAA6061/SiC/B4C and AA6061/SiC/TiB2 composites and subsequent analysis newlineon weld joint performance is presented in this thesis.Experimentation is performed with the help of semi automatic FSW machine installed at IIT Madras. Several experimental trials are conducted on newlinefabricated composites with different weight percentages of reinforcement newlineparticles. The machine process parameters varied during welding of newline newline