A re-investigation: Effect of powder metallurgy parameters on the physical and mechanical properties of aluminium matrix composites

Abstract Aluminium matrix composites are the special class materials used in automobile, aerospace, nuclear, and packing industries. High demand for these materials is due to high electrical conductivity, high thermal conductivity, high strength, high wear resistance, high ductility, and excellent machinability. Stir casting, friction stir processing, and powder metallurgy are common techniques used for the fabrication of Aluminium matrix composites. Some of the advantages of the powder metallurgy technique such as, high material utilization, less power consumption, and less scrap, etc.; are the main reasons for the inclination of researchers towards the use of this technique for the fabrication of Aluminium matrix composites. The Powder metallurgy process parameters, i.e., compaction pressure, sintering temperature, and sintering time, highly influence the physical and mechanical properties of Aluminium matrix composites fabricated by powder metallurgy. The type and weight fraction of reinforcement also have a significant effect on the physical and mechanical properties of Aluminium matrix composites. In the present study, re-investigation has been done on the effect of the above parameters on the physical and mechanical properties of Aluminium matrix composites. During the literature survey, it was observed that, compaction pressure is the most influencing parameter. The Density and porosity can be controlled effectively by controlling the compaction pressure. For Aluminium-based materials fabricated by powder metallurgy, the optimum range of compaction pressure, sintering temperature, and sintering time is 600–700 MPa, 520–600 °C, and 3–4 h, respectively.