Investigation of Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Adc-12/SiC Reinforced Metal Matrix Composite using Bottom Pouring Stir Casting Process

A study on the ADC-12 (Al-Si aluminum alloy) composite highlights it as a highly suitable material for the automotive industry due to its durability, favorable elastic modulus, wear resistance, thermal stability, and high strength properties. This research aims to investigate and understand the impact of adding SiC reinforcement to the metal composite, with aluminum serving as the matrix material. In this study, the composite was fabricated using a bottom-pouring stir casting process, where mechanical stirring was employed to achieve uniform reinforcement distribution at a stirring speed of 300 rpm for 6 minutes. SiC reinforcement was added in varying proportions of 0, 4, 8, and 12 wt.%, with 1 wt.% magnesium included to enhance wettability. The final ADC-12/SiC composite was analysed using tensile and hardness tests. The results revealed that the highest tensile strength was achieved with 12 wt.% SiC addition, while the highest hardness was observed at 4 wt.% SiC. However, morphological analysis indicated agglomeration of reinforcement particles at 4 wt.% SiC and limited porosity at 8 wt.% SiC. Despite these issues, uniform distribution of SiC particles was observed at 12 wt.%.