Mechanical and wear properties of an AC4B aluminum alloy composite reinforced with alumina-borate whisker and alumina short fiber

Aluminum-borate whisker and alumina short fiber reinforced AC4B aluminum composites were fabricated by squeeze casting and its mechanical and wear properties were evaluated. Tensile strength of 20Vf% aluminum-borate composite is about 450 MPa at room temperature. That of hybrid composites of aluminum-borate whisker and alumina short fiber is slightly lower than that of the 100% aluminum-borate whisker composite, but higher than that of the matrix alloy. Wear loss of hybrid composite contain 16Vf% aluminum-borate whisker and 4Vf% alumina short fiber was apporoximately 20% smaller compared with composite of only aluminum-borate whisker. In accordance with modified Kelly-Tyson's equation, tensile strength of composite was evaluated and it was found out that the experimental values were around 60~80 percent of the calculated values.