Mechanical properties of Aluminum-Copper(p) composite metallic materials

Composite metallic materials (CMMs) are prepared by dispersing copper particulates in aluminum matrix using stir-cast technique. Their behavior is compared with the alloy having similar composition. The effect of particulate composition is studied by varying the copper concentration between 5 and 15 wt%. Hardness increased with increasing particulate contents in both cast and homogenized conditions. Composites show a 13% drop in strength and 15% drop in strain compared to the alloy. With increasing reinforcement content, the strength increased and dropped. Agglomeration due to increased reinforcement contents may be the reason for the decrease in strength values. Microstructures corroborate the above results.