Aluminium Alloy Nanocomposite Featured with Barium and Silicon Carbide Nanoparticles: Mechanical and Wear Studies

Aluminium alloy (A356) is well-known for its use in automotive structural applications due to its excellent corrosion resistance, superior tensile strength, and lightweight properties. This investigation focuses on enhancing the mechanical and wear behaviour of A356 alloy nanocomposites by incorporating micron-sized barium (Ba) and nano-sized silicon carbide (SiC) particles. These enhancements are achieved through an advanced squeeze stir casting process, applying a compressive pressure of 100 MPa. The study analyzes the effects of multi-reinforcements and the squeeze casting process on the structural behaviour of the alloy, utilizing techniques such as scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The examination reveals that the microstructure and crystal structure of the A356 alloy show a consistent distribution of multi-reinforcements, which leads to improved tensile strength, hardness, and wear resistance. Combining squeeze cast with multi-reinforcements in the A356 alloy matrix results in an actual density of 2.70 g/cc and a reduced porosity level of 0.86%. Furthermore, the addition of 0.5 wt% Ba and 5 wt% SiC significantly enhances the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength, achieving values of 204 ± 6 MPa and 288 ± 11 MPa, respectively. The microhardness is improved to 117 ± 6 HV, and the wear resistance reaches 0.328 mg/m at a load of 40N.