Study of Microstructure and

Mechanical behaviour of Al 6061/

(graphite +SiC particles) fabricated
by FSP

SANCHIT MEWAR
14ME61R20
(under the supervision of Dr. Jinu Paul)

CONTENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Introduction
Literature Review
Gaps in Literature
Objective/Problem Definition
Work plan
Experiment
Results and discussion
Conclusions
Future Work
References

INTRODUCTION

JOINING is a manufacturing process used in these situations where

different components need to be assembled to culminate into a final
desired product.

Joining can be classified into

Adhesive Bonding
Mechanical fastening
Welding

1.
2.
3.

FRICTION STIR
WELDING/PROCESSING

FRICTION STIR WELDING(FSW) was invented at The Welding Institute(TWI)

of the United Kingdom in 1991
Solid state joining process where a separate tool is used to join to surfaces difficult
to achieve by conventional welding processes.
There is a generation of heat between tool and material which results in a soft
region near the tool.
Then there is the intermixing mechanically of the two pieces of metal at the place
of joint.

Fig 1.Schematic figure of FSW/FSP[1]

(www.robotics.engr.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/wikiwp/research/
friction-stir-welding)

PRINCIPLE OF FSW/FSP

Heating of the workpiece - Heating of the workpiece takes place due

to the friction between the rotating tool pin and shoulder and the
workpiece

Material flow - Due to localized heating,softening of the material

takes place in the vicinity and around the pin.

Containment of hot metal - The shoulder portion of the tool puts a

restriction of the metal flow equivalent to a level which is
approximately equal to the initial workpiece surface

FRICTION STIR
PROCESSING

Friction stir processing(FSP) a technique derived from the Friction stir

welding works on the same principle as of the Friction stir welding.

FSP is a process that can generate localized heating,plastic deformation and

stirring in a relatively short duration.

METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES(MMC) can be generated with the help

of this process.

FSP is also used for surface modification unlike FSW where same principle
is used to join two sheets.

Literature Review
S
No.
1.

Year
2010

Author
KURT et.al[1]

Summary

2.

2014

IZADI et.a[2]

Incorporation of SiC particles in

plates of 1050 Al alloy using
FSP
Higher hardness found from
high rotational speed and low
travelling speed.
Studied the effects of various
reinforcements using FSP in Al
5059 alloy.
B4C reinforced composite
found to be harder than Al2O3
and SiC reinforcement.
Ductile fracture in Al2O3 and SiC
reinforced composite and
brittle fracture in B4C

Literature Review
S
No.
3.

Year
2008

Author
MAHMOUD
et.al[3]

Summary

4.

2011

M.RAFT et.al[4]

Studied the effects of different

tool probes in the formation of
SiC surface layer.
More homogenous distribution
of SiC particles when square
shaped tool used.
Hardness scattering smallest in
stirred zone for square shaped
tool
Studied the microstructural and
mechanical properties of A390
reinforced with graphite and
Al2O3.
A390/Al2O3 was found to be
more harder than a
390/graphite.
Wear rate was found to be
decreased in both the cases.

Gaps in Literature

Hardly any study has been on the Friction Stir Processing of Al alloy reinforced
with graphite particles.

No study has been done on Friction Stir Processing of Al alloy reinforced with the
mixture of graphite particles and SiC particles.

Only few papers have dealt with the analysis of the plunge force on Al alloy
during the FSP process.

Not much studies have been done on the Friction Stir Processing at a traverse
speed of 10-30 mm/mt.

OBJECTIVE

To study the microstructural changes brought in the Al 6061 alloy sheet

due to Friction Stir Processing of the sheet reinforced with graphite and
SiC particles.

To analyse the change in mechanical properties of Al 6061 alloy reinforced

with graphite and SiC particles compared with the mechanical properties
of the given Al 6061 alloy.

To study the effects of change in traverse speed and RPM on the

microstructure and mechanical behavior of Al 6061 alloy reinforced with
SiC and Graphite particles.

10

WORK PLAN

Fabrication of groove in the Al6061 sheet.

Filling of the groove with Graphite particles,SiC particles and a

combination of graphite and SiC particles respectively.

Friction Stir Processing of the corresponding grooves at 2 different

traverse speeds.

Measurement of microhardness values of the Metal Matrix Composites

formed under the conditions of the reinforcements used as mentioned
above.

11

WORK PLAN

Fig 2. FSP procedure to produce SCL: (a) cutting a groove, (b) compacting with ceramic
particles and (c) traversing of tool[5]

To study the microstructure of the Friction Stir Processed region.

To study the wear resistance of the Metal Matrix Composites formed.

12

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

1.
2.
3.
4.

Four experiments were done:

Friction Stir Processing of the Al6061 sheet.
Friction Stir Processing of the Al6061 sheet reinforced with graphite particles.
Friction Stir Processing of the Al6061 sheet reinforced with SiC particles.
Friction Stir Processing of the Al 6061 sheet reinforced with both graphite and SiC
particles.

Axial Force(KN)
R.P.M

Traverse speed(mm/mt)

Plunge
depth(mm)

Sl No.
1.

2500

10

11

0.3

2.

2500

15

11

0.4

13

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Microhardness Test
1. Al 6061

Fig 3.Plotting of hardness values of Al 6061 alloy at surface

after FSP

Fig 4. Plotting of hardness values of Al 6061 alloy at

cross-section after FSP
14

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

2. Al 6061 reinforced with graphite

Fig 5.Plotting of hardness values of Al 6061 alloy reinforced Fig 6.Plotting of hardness values of Al 6061 alloy reinforced
with graphite at surface after FSP
with graphite at cross-section after FSP

15

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.Al 6061 reinforced with SiC

Fig 7.Plotting of hardness values of Al 6061 alloy

reinforced with SiC at cross-section after FSP

Fig 8.Plotting of hardness values of Al 6061 alloy

reinforced with SiC at surface after FSP

16

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.Al 6061 reinforced with SiC and graphite

Fig 9.Plotting of hardness values of Al 6061 alloy

reinforced with SiC and graphite at surface after FSP

Fig 10. Plotting of hardness values of Al 6061 alloy

reinforced with SiC and graphite at cross-section after FSP

17

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Microstructure images
1.Al 6061 reinforced with graphite

Fig 11.Optical microscope images of cross-section of Al6061 alloy at a speed of

(a)10mm/mt and (b) 15 mm/mt

18

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Microstructure images
2. Al6061 alloy reinforced with SiC

Fig 12.Optical microscope images of cross-section of Al6061 alloy reinforced with SiC
at a speed of (a)15 mm/mt and (b) 10 mm/mt

19

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Microstructure images
3. Al6061 alloy reinforced with SiC and graphite

Fig 13.Optical microscope images of cross-section of Al6061 alloy reinforced with SiC
and graphite at a speed of (a)15 mm/mt and (b) 10 mm/mt

20

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Plunge Forces
1.SiC

Fig 14.Plunge Force variation with time in case of FSP of Al 6061 reinforced with SiC at a
speed of (a) 10 mm/mt

21

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Plunge Forces
1.SiC

Fig 15.Plunge Force variation with time in case of FSP of Al 6061 reinforced with SiC at a
speed of (a) 15 mm/mt

22

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Plunge Forces
2. SiC+Graphite

Fig 16.Plunge Force variation with time in case of FSP of Al 6061 reinforced with SiC and graphite
at a speed of (a) 10 mm/mt

23

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Plunge Forces
2. SiC+Graphite

Fig 17.Plunge Force variation with time in case of FSP of Al 6061 reinforced with SiC and graphite
at a speed of (a) 15 mm/mt

24

CONCLUSION

Reinforcing the Al6061 alloy with SiC and graphite

particles resulted in the increase in hardness values.

A traverse speed of 10 mm/mt was found to be more effective in Friction Stir

Processing of Al 6061 sheet reinforced with SiC and graphite particles.

Plunge force variation also showed more uniform force distribution during
FSP of Al 6061 alloy reinforced with graphite and SiC at a traverse speed of
10 mm/mt.

25

FUTURE WORK

FSP would be done at different RPM values and comparison of the properties
would be done.

Analysis of the samples using SEM images

Analysing the results by changing the mixing ratio of the graphite particles
and SiC particles in the reinforcement in the groove.

26

REFERENCES

Adem Kurt, Ilyas Uygur, Eren Cete (2010) Surface modification of aluminium by friction stir
processingJournal of materials technology 211 (2011) 313-317

S. Sahraeinejad, H.Izadi, M.Haghshenas , A.P.Gerlich (2014) Fabrication of metal matrix composites by

friction stir processing with different Particles and processing parameters

E. R. I. Mahmoud, M. Takahashi, T. Shibayanagi and K. Ikeuchi (2009) Effect of Friction Stir Processing
tool probe on fabrication of SiC particle reinforced composite on Aluminum Surface Institute of Materials,
Minerals and Mining

. M. Raaft,T.S. Mahmoud,H.M. Zakaria,T.A. Khalifa (2011) Microstructural,mechanical and wear

behaviour of A 390/graphite and A 390/Al 2O3 surface composites fabricated using FSP ,Materials Science
and Engineering A 528 (2011) 5741-5746

. L.M. Marzoli,A.v. Strombeck,J.F. Dos Santos,C. Gambaro, L.M.Volpone (2005)Friction stir welding of
an AA6061/Al2O3/20p reinforced alloy Composites Science and Technology 66 (2006) 363371

27

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