A Novel Approach for Utilization of Walnut Shell Ash as Reinforcement in Aluminum Matrix Composites

This paper aims to propose a solid waste management technique through a novel utilization of the agro solid waste in production of the industrially required materials. In this paper, Walnut Shell Ash (WSA) in two different percentages of 2 and 4% has been used as reinforcement in Aluminum-6061 matrix to fabricate composites through stir casting technique. The composites casted are tested for density, hardness, microhardness, and sliding wear properties. Captivatingly casted composites have shown a great improvement in all aspects, reduction in density with an increase in reinforcement, and increase in hardness and resistance to wear with an increase in % of reinforcement; this is because of the formation of an efficient bonding between reinforcement and the matrix material. This paper also presents the effect of aging on the composite’s hardness and found that aging has increased the hardness of the materials.