LM13 alloy is extensively used in automotive industry to make pistons. The high operating temperatures of pistons led to dimensional instability due to high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). This problem can be overcome by incorporating ceramic particles with lower CTE values, which also helps tailor the properties of aluminum matrix composite (AMCs) according to other applications (i.e. brake rotor). Hence, the present research investigated the effect of two different types of reinforcements (a natural mineral “ilmenite” compared to a pure synthetic ceramic “boron carbide”) separately on thermal expansion behavior of LM13 alloy-based composites. Stir casting was used to incorporate 5, 10, and 15 weight percent (wt.%) of reinforced particles in the LM13 alloy matrix. Thermal strain and CTE values were determined in the 50°C–300°C range. Thermal strain and CTE values reduced significantly with increased reinforced particle types. A maximum reduction of 45% over the base alloy in thermal strain and CTE value was obtained for IDP-15 composites (IDP-15: ilmenite reinforced composites with 15 wt.% reinforcement) in the operating temperature range of 50°C–250°C. Beyond 250°C, the maximum thermal strain and CTE value reduction was 52% for BDP-15 composites (BDP-15: boron carbide reinforced composites with 15 wt.% reinforcement) at an operating temperature of 300°C. The results signified that for low-to-moderately high-temperature applications like brake rotors, etc., IDPs are a suitable material, whereas, for high-temperature applications like pistons etc., BDPs are more appropriate. The changes in thermal characteristics of AMCs with operating temperature-reinforcement levels were due to variations in the strength of interfacial bonding and changes in the solubility of silicon in aluminum. Experimental values of CTE obtained in the present research were compared to several theoretical models. There was a close agreement in the experimental values and the predictions made by the “Reuss bound” model.
TiwariSDasSChVAN. Mechanical properties of Al–Si–SiC composites. Mater Res Express2019; 6(7): 076553.
2.
PozdniakovAVLotfyAQadirA, et al. Development of Al-5Cu/B4C composites with low coefficient of thermal expansion for automotive application. Mater Sci Eng A2017; 688: 1–8.
3.
NyanorPEl-KadyOYehiaHM, et al. Effect of carbon nanotube (CNT) content on the hardness, wear resistance and thermal expansion of in-situ reduced gaphene oxide (rgo)-reinforced aluminum matrix composites. Met Mater Int2021; 27(5): 1315–1326.
4.
NasEGökkayaH.Experimental and statistical study on machinability of the composite materials with metal matrix Al/B4C/graphite. Metall Mater Trans2017; 48(10): 5059–5067.
5.
AlagarsamySVRavichandranM.Synthesis, microstructure and properties of TiO 2 reinforced AA7075 matrix composites via stir casting route. Mater Res Express2019; 6(8): 086519.
6.
SharmaNKMisraRKSharmaS.Experimental characterization and numerical modeling of thermo-mechanical properties of Al-B4C composites. Ceram Int2017; 43(1): 513–522.
7.
OmraniEMoghadamADMenezesPL, et al. Influences of graphite reinforcement on the tribological properties of self-lubricating aluminum matrix composites for green tribology, sustainability, and energy efficiency — a review. Int J Adv Manuf Technol2016; 83(1–4): 325–346.
8.
GuptaRSharmaSNandaT, et al. Wear studies of hybrid AMCs reinforced with naturally occurring sillimanite and rutile ceramic particles for brake-rotor applications. Ceram Int2020; 46(10): 16849–16859.
9.
KumarCRMalarvannanRRRJaiGaneshV.Role of SiC on mechanical, tribological and thermal expansion characteristics of B4C/talc-reinforced Al-6061 hybrid composite. Silicon2020; 12(6): 1491–1500.
10.
SarmahPGuptaK.Recent advancements in fabrication of metal matrix composites: a systematic review. Materials2024; 17(18): 4635.
11.
PanwarRSPandeyOP.Study of wear behavior of zircon sand-reinforced LM13 alloy composites at elevated temperatures. J Mater Eng Perform2013; 22(6): 1765–1775.
12.
GuptaRSharmaSNandaT, et al. A comparative study of dry sliding wear behaviour of sillimanite and rutile reinforced LM27 aluminium alloy composites. Mater Res Express2020; 7(1): 016540.
13.
Dinesh KumarPKSolomonDG. Investigations on microstructure and mechanical properties on LM30-B4C nanocomposites fabricated through ultrasonic-squeeze assisted stir-casting. Mater Today Commun2023; 37: 106978.
14.
SharmaSC.Effect of albite particles on the coefficient of thermal expansion behavior of the Al6061 alloy composites. Metall Mater Trans2000; 31A(3): 773–780.
15.
SharmaSNandaTPandeyOP.Effect of elevated temperatures and applied pressure on the tribological properties of LM30/sillimanite aluminium alloy composites. J Compos Mater2019; 53(11): 1521–1539.
16.
RahmaniRRahnejatHFitzsimonsB, et al. The effect of cylinder liner operating temperature on frictional loss and engine emissions in piston ring conjunction. Appl Energy2017; 191: 568–581.
17.
SadanandamJBhikshamaiahGGopalakrishnaB, et al. Effect of different reinforcements on the thermal expansion of 2124 aluminium metal-matrix composites. J Mater Sci Lett1992; 11(22): 1518–1520.
18.
ZhangQGuM.Studies on properties of Al-sip composites fabricated by vacuum pressure infiltration method. J Compos Mater2006; 40(5): 471–478.
19.
ChenNZhangHMuG, et al. The effect of internal stress on the thermal expansion coefficient of Al/sicp composite. J Compos Mater2007; 41(22): 2691–2699.
20.
DengCFMaYXZhangP, et al. Thermal expansion behaviors of aluminum composite reinforced with carbon nanotubes. Mater Lett2008; 62(15): 2301–2303.
21.
NyanorPEl-KadyOYehiaHM, et al. Effect of bimodal-sized hybrid tic–CNT reinforcement on the mechanical properties and coefficient of thermal expansion of aluminium matrix composites. Met Mater Int2021; 27(4): 753–766.
22.
TayebiMTayebiMRajaeeM, et al. Improvement of thermal properties of Al/Cu/SiC composites by tailoring the reinforcement microstructure and comparison to thermoelastic models. J Alloys Comp2021; 853: 156794.
23.
FirouzFMMohamedELotfyA, et al. Thermal expansion and fatigue properties of automotive brake rotor made of AlSi–SiC composites. Mater Res Express2019; 6(12): 1265d2.
24.
WagihAAbu-OqailAFathyA.Effect of GNPs content on thermal and mechanical properties of a novel hybrid Cu-Al2O3/GNPs coated Ag nanocomposite. Ceram Int2019; 45(1): 1115–1124.
25.
ZareRSharifiHSaeriMR, et al. Investigating the effect of SiC particles on the physical and thermal properties of Al6061/SiCp composite. J Alloys Comp2019; 801: 520–528.
26.
Abd-ElwahedMSMeselhyAF.Experimental investigation on the mechanical, structural and thermal properties of Cu–ZrO2 nanocomposites hybridized by graphene nanoplatelets. Ceram Int2020; 46(7): 9198–9206.
27.
SharmaSGuptaRNandaT, et al. Influence of two different range of sillimanite particle reinforcement on tribological characteristics of LM30 based composites under elevated temperature conditions. Mater Chem Phys2021; 258: 123988.
28.
TakaoYTayaM.Thermal expansion coefficients and thermal stresses in an aligned short fiber composite with application to a short carbon fiber/aluminum. J Appl Mech1985; 52(4): 806–810.
29.
ElomariSBoukhiliRSan MarchiC, et al. Thermal expansion responses of pressure infiltrated SiC/Al metal-matrix composites. J Mater Sci1997; 32(12): 2131–2140.
30.
ZhouCZhangQLiuY, et al. Thermal expansion of Y2W3O12/Al metal matrix composites. Mater Res Innov2014; 18(sup4): S4–4494.
31.
HummerDRHeaneyPJPostJE.Thermal expansion of anatase and rutile between 300 and 575 K using synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. Powder Diffr2007; 22(4): 352–357.
32.
SidhuSSKumarSBatishA.Metal matrix composites for thermal management: a review. Crit Rev Solid State Mater Sci2016; 41(2): 132–157.
33.
WilsonNCMuscatJMkhontoD, et al. Structure and properties of ilmenite from first principles. Phys Rev B2005; 71(7): 075202.
34.
ElwanMFathyAWagihA, et al. Fabrication and investigation on the properties of ilmenite (fetio3)-based Al composite by accumulative roll bonding. J Compos Mater2020; 54(10): 1259–1271.
35.
KumarSSharmaVPanwarRS, et al. Wear behavior of dual particle size (DPS) zircon sand reinforced aluminum alloy. Tribol Lett2012; 47(2): 231–251.
36.
SaghafianHShabestariSGGhadamiS, et al. Effects of iron, manganese, and cooling rate on microstructure and dry sliding wear behavior of LM13 aluminum alloy. Tribol Trans2017; 60(5): 888–901.
37.
BhouriMMzaliFBerdinC, et al. Numerical homogenization and experimental study of the influence of graphite content and voids on the coefficients of thermal expansion of 2017 aluminium matrix composites. Mater Today Commun2021; 26: 101638.
38.
SeongHGLopezHFRobertsonDP, et al. Interface structure in carbon and graphite fiber reinforced 2014 aluminum alloy processed with active fiber cooling. Mater Sci Eng A2008; 487(1–2): 201–209.
39.
ThamLMGuptaMChengL.Effect of limited matrix-reinforcement interfacial reaction on enhancing the mechanical properties of aluminium-silicon carbide composites. Acta Mater2001; 49(16): 3243–3253.
40.
NieCGuJLiuJ, et al. Investigation on microstructures and interface character of B4C particles reinforced 2024Al matrix composites fabricated by mechanical alloying. J Alloys Comp2008; 454(1-2): 118–122.
41.
AfzalAAbdul MujeebuM.Thermo-mechanical and structural performances of automobile disc brakes: a review of numerical and experimental studies. Arch Comput Methods Eng2019; 26(5): 1489–1513.
42.
AsanoK.Thermal expansion behaviour of squeeze-cast aluminium matrix composites reinforced with pan- and pitch-based carbon fibres. Int J Cast Met Res2017; 0461(6): 365–369.
43.
LeiZZhaoKWangY, et al. Thermal expansion of Al matrix composites reinforced with hybrid micro-/nano-sized Al2O3 particles. J Mater Sci Technol2014; 30(1): 61–64.
44.
GuptaRNandaTPandeyOP, et al. Comparison of tribological characteristics of LM13/B4C and LM13/ilmenite composites at high-temperature conditions. J Tribol2024; 146(5): 1–15.
45.
GuptaRNandaTPandeyOP.Effect of high operating temperatures on the wear characteristics of boron carbide and ilmenite reinforced LM13 alloy based composites. J Tribol2022; 144(10): 101703.
46.
GuptaRNandaTPandeyOP.Comparison of wear behaviour of LM13 Al−Si alloy based composites reinforced with synthetic (B4C) and natural (ilmenite) ceramic particles. Trans Nonferrous Met Soc China2021; 31(12): 3613–3625.
47.
ShinJHChoiHJChoMK, et al. Effect of the interface layer on the mechanical behavior of TiO2 nanoparticle reinforced aluminum matrix composites. J Compos Mater2014; 48(1): 99–106.
48.
SongPXieKYangJ, et al. Influence of ball milling process on microstructure, mechanical and thermal expansion properties of ZrMgMo3O12/Al-40Si composites. Micron2022; 157: 103245.
49.
JiangTLiSYuC, et al. The evolution on the microstructure and thermal expansion behavior of Al–50Si alloy with different P contents. J Mater Sci Mater Electron2019; 30(7): 6786–6794.
50.
ZhangQWuGJiangL, et al. Thermal expansion and dimensional stability of Al-Si matrix composite reinforced with high content SiC. Mater Chem Phys2003; 82(3): 780–785.
51.
RenSHeXQuX, et al. Effect of Mg and Si in the aluminum on the thermo-mechanical properties of pressureless infiltrated sicp/Al composites. Compos Sci Technol2007; 67(10): 2103–2113.
52.
MannVSPandeyOP.Effect of dual particle size corundum particles on the tribological properties of LM30 aluminium alloy composites for brake rotor applications. Arab J Sci Eng2021; 46(12): 12445–12463.
53.
ChocronSAndersonCEDannemannKA, et al. Intact and predamaged boron carbide strength under moderate confinement pressures. J Am Ceram Soc2012; 95(1): 350–357.
54.
McClellanKJChuFRoperJM, et al. Room temperature single crystal elastic constants of boron carbide. J Mater Sci2001; 36(14): 3403–3407.
55.
SasikumarCSrikanthSMukhopadhyayNK, et al. Energetics of mechanical activation - application to ilmenite. Miner Eng2009; 22(6): 572–574.
56.
ChawlaNPatelBVKoopmanM, et al. Microstructure-based simulation of thermomechanical behavior of composite materials by object-oriented finite element analysis. Mater Charact2003; 49(5): 395–407.
