Project report on

Determination of Mechanical Properties of Aluminium Fly-Ash

Composite
Submitted to

Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada

In partial fulfillment for the award of the degree of
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Submitted by

S. GOWTHAM (14KN1A03A8)
P. CHANDRA SEKHAR(14KN1A0399) S. UMAMAHESWAREDDY(14KN1A03A7)
S. SURYAMOHAN (14KN1A03A6)
Under the guidance of
Mrs. K. ANUSHA RAJ M.Tech
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

NRI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

(Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University)
(Accredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade, ISO 9001: 2008 Certified)
Pothavarappadu, Via Nunna, Agiripalli (M), Vijayawada Rural,
Krishna District, A.P
2014-2018

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 NRI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
(Affiliated to Jawaharlal Technological University)
(Accredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade, ISO 9001: 2008 Certified)
Pothavarappadu, Via Nunna, Agiripalli (M), Vijayawada Rural,
Krishna District, A.P

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Design / Fabrication work entitled “Determination of

Mechanical Properties of Aluminium Fly-Ash Composite” is a bonafied work done by
S.GOWTHAM (14KN1A03A8), P.CHANDRASEKHAR (14KN1A0399),
S.UMAMAHESWARA REDDY (14KN1A03A7), S.SURYA MOHAN (14KN1A03A6)
submitted in the partial fulfilment of requirements of the award of degree in Bachelor of
Technology in Mechanical engineering to NRI Institute of Technology, Vijayawada,
affiliated to JNTU, KAKINADA during the academic year 2017-2018.

Project Supervisor Head of the Department

Internal Examiner External Examiner

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Behind every achievement lies an unfathomable sea of gratitude to those who

activated it, without whom it would ever have been in existence. To them we lay the words of
gratitude imprinted with us.
I take immense pleasure in expressing my deep sense of gratitude to my guide,
Dr.P.RAVINDRA KUMAR, Professor, Ph.D, for his encouragement all the way during the
investigation of the project. His annotations and criticisms is the key behind for successful
completion of the project work and our HOD, Dr. K. PRASAD RAO, Professor & Head of
Department, ME, NRIIT, for his able guidance and for the freedom of thought and action I
had enjoyed during the entire course of my project work. I was privileged to experience a
sustained enthusiastic and involved interest from his side.
I am extremely thankful to the entire faculty in ME department at LBRCE for the
most valuable suggestions they have given during the course of this project work, also
thankful to supporting staff in Thermal engineering laboratory.
I express a special gratitude to Dr. C.NAGA BHASKAR, Principal of NRIIT, who
has been the driving force behind NRIIT and who made this endeavour possible.
I express my heartfelt thanks to the management at NRI INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY for providing us an opportunity to fulfill our most cherished desire of
reaching our academic goals.
Finally I express a special gratitude to my parents for their great encouragement to
complete the project in all the ways.

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 DECLARATION

We hereby declared that the project entitled “Determination of Mechanical

Properties of Aluminium Fly-Ash Composite” is original and authentic work done in
department of mechanical engineering, NRI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, agiripalli
submitted in partial fulfillment for the award of degree of BACHELOR OF
TECHNOLOGY IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. The matter embodied in this
project work has not been submitted earlier for the award of any degree or diploma to the best
of my knowledge.

REGISTRATION NO: NAME:

14KN1A03A8 S. GOWTHAM

14KN1A0399 P. CHANDRA SEKHAR

14KN1A03A7 S. UMAMAHESWARA REDDY

14KN1A03A6 S. SURYA MOHAN

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 CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES i

LIST OF TABLES ii

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER-1:
1.1 INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER-2:
2. LITERATURE SURVEY

2.1. Composite 3
2.2. Classifications of composites 3
2.3. Strengthening mechanism of composite 5
2.4. Interfacial bonding mechanism 7
2.5. Metal matrix composite 9
2.6. Fabrication techniques for metal matrix composites 10
2.7. Role of zinc in cast aluminium alloy matrix
Composites 15
2.8. Particulate reinforced metal matrix composites 16
2.9. Aluminium fly-ash particulate reinforced composite 19
2.10. Fly ash 21
2.11. Why fly ash? 22
2.12. Chemical reaction between Al and fly ash 23

CHAPTER-3:
3. EXPERIMENTAL WORK

3.1 Raw materials 24

3.2 Melting and casting 24

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 3.3 Grooving 25
3.4 Mechanical properties observation 26
3.4.1 Hardness 26
3.4.2 Hardness Before Testing 28
3.4.3 Hardness After Testing 29
3.4.4 Impact Test 29
3.4.5 Impact load on Before Testing 31
3.4.6 Impact load on After Testing 32

CHAPTER-4
4. RSEULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Mechanical properties determination 33

4.1.1 Hardness Test 33
4.2 Impact Test 34

CHAPTER-5:
CONCLUSION 36

CHAPTER-6:
REFERENCES 37

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LIST OF FIGURES Page No

2.4 Schematic diagram showing the contact angle

that describes wettability 7

2.6 Stir Casting Diagram 13

3.2 Melting & Casting 25

3.3 Grooving 25

3.4.1 Hardness Testing Machine 26

3.4.2 Hardness Specimen Before Testing 28

3.4.3 Hardness Specimen After Testing 29

3.4.4 Impact Testing Machine 30

3.4.5 Impact Specimen Before Testing 31

3.4.6 Impact Specimen After Testing 32

LIST OF TABLES PAGE NO

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2.10.1 Chemicals Requirements for
Fly-ash Composition 22

4.1.1 Hardness Composite 33

4.1.2 Average Hardness 33

4.2 Impact Load 34

LIST OF GRAPHS PAGE NO

4.1 Showing Variations in Hardness with

Composition of MMC’s 34

4.2 Showing Variations in Impact load with

Composition of MMC’s 35

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NOMENCLATURE

Σ Axial Stress
Vf volume of fraction
E elastic modulus
υ Poisson’s Ratio
ρ density
ϒsv free energy per unit area of solid vapour interfaces
ϒlv free energy per unit area of liquid vapour interfaces
ϒsl free energy per unit area of solid liquid interfaces

ABSTRACT

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 Metal matrix composites (MMCs) constitute an important class of
design and weight efficient structural materials that are encouraging every
sphere of engineering applications. There has been an increasing interest in
composites containing low density and low cost reinforcements. Among
various discontinuously dispersed solids used, fly ash is one of the most
inexpensive and low density reinforcement available in large quantities as
solid waste by-product during combustion of coal in thermal power plants.
Hence, composites with fly ash as reinforcement are likely to overcome the
cost barrier for wide spread applications in automotive and small engine
applications. To produce Al matrix cast particle composites, wettability of the
ceramic particles by liquid Al is essential. To improve wettability, elements
such as zinc are added into Al melt to incorporate the ceramic particles. The
present investigation has been focused on the utilization abundant available
industrial waste fly ash in useful manner by dispersing it into
aluminium/aluminium-zinc matrix to produced composites by liquid
metallurgy route. Wide size range (0.1-100µm) fly ash particles were used.
The mechanical properties such as hardness and impact strength have been
investigated.