Densification Studies on Aluminum-Based Brake Lining Composite Processed by Microwave and Spark Plasma Sintering

Powder metallurgy confers the specific properties to the materials by selecting appropriate components with proper compositions. An attempt was made to produce the dense aluminum-based metal matrix composite for the brake lining through powder metallurgy. In this work, two different sintering approaches of microwave sintering and spark plasma sintering were used to obtain the dense material. Based on the properties required for performing the intended functions, the powders of aluminum (80%), boron carbide (8%), silicon dioxide (7%), nickel (3%), and graphite (2%) were used to produce a metal matrix composite (MMC). The particle size, bulk/apparent density, and tap density of each powder were determined using the corresponding tests. The powders were mixed and blended with the help of a high-energy ball mill. The portion of the blended mixture was processed through the microwave sintering, where it was first compacted with the hydraulic press and then sintered at an appropriate sintering cycle. Other samples of the same chemical composition have been prepared using spark plasma sintering, where compaction and sintering occur simultaneously at a particular temperature and pressure. The density and microhardness values from each sample were determined using the Archimedes principle and the Vickers microhardness test, respectively. The SEM analysis was performed to analyze the morphology of the sample material after it has been processed by microwave sintering and spark plasma sintering. From the assessment of the obtained results, it was observed that the spark plasma sintering approach is an appropriate method to produce dense materials.