Characteristic Study and Enhancement of Mechanical Properties of Al2024 Gray Cast Iron Powder Reinforced MMC by Heat Treatment

It is proposed to study the mechanical properties of Al2024-gray cast iron composite with age hardening process and compared with as cast specimen. All heat treatment processes are carried out in atmospheric conditions. Al2024 is a reasonable choice as a matrix material to prepare MMCs owing to high strength (especially at elevated temperatures), toughness, and, in specific cases weld ability. Among different types of the recently formed composite materials, particle reinforced MMC and in particular aluminum as matrix material has found to have industrial applications. Gray cast iron powder reinforced aluminum 2024 composites possess a unique combination of high specific strength, high elastic modulus than the corresponding unreinforced matrix alloy system. By double stir casting method, Al2024 will be reinforced with gray cast iron powder. Heat treatment is given so as to tailor and improve the required mechanical properties as per the requirement. Gray cast iron is selected since it is believed to improve the hardness as well as the mach inability due to the presence of both iron carbide and free graphite in gray cast iron powder. Here three different proportion of gray cast iron composite are prepared by stir casting process. Age Hardening treatment is given to the samples with different percentage of gray C.I, and different properties such as microstructure, hardness and corrosion are compared with as cast Al2024- gray cast iron composite of respective composition. The possible outcomes maybe increase in mechanical properties by addition of gray cast iron.