Applied Mechanics and Materials Submitted: 2017-02-15

ISSN: 1662-7482, Vol. 877, pp 50-53 Revised: 2017-08-27

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.877.50 Accepted: 2017-09-03
© 2018 Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland Online: 2018-02-15

Study on Mechanical Property of Aluminium 6061 with E Glass

Fiber Reinforced Composite
Vinayashree1,a, R. Shobha2,b
1
Assistant Professor, Department of IEM, DSCE, Bangalore, India - 560078
2
Assistant Professor, Department of IEM, MSRIT, Bangalore, India-560054
a
Email: vinayashree04@gmail.com, bEmail: shobhamtech@gmail.com

Keywords: metal matrix composite, glass fiber, stir casting, hardness, Rockwell Hardness Number
(RHN), Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS)

Abstract. Aluminium composites are in predominant use due to their lower weight and high
strength among the Metal Matrix Composite’s. Aluminium 6061 is selected as matrix and E-glass
fiber is selected as reinforcement. Fabrication of composite is done by stir casting method. Each
fabrication carries the E-glass reinforcement content varied from 2% to 10%. The present article
attempts to evaluate the mechanical properties of E-glass fiber reinforced composite and study the
effect of reinforcement on the matrix alloy through mechanical properties. When compared to as
cast mechanical properties the Ultimate Tensile Strength has increased from 74.28 N/sq mm to
146.8 N/sq mm for a composite at 6% E-glass. The hardness of as cast has also increased from
22 RHN to 43 RHN at 6% E-glass and the wear of composite has exhibited a decreasing trend with
increase in reinforcement content along the sliding distance. The results are analyzed in certain
depth in the current paper. The mechanical properties of composites have improved with the
increase in the weigh percentage of glass fiber in the aluminium matrix.

Introduction
The metal matrix composites are combination of two or more than two different materials
including metal, inter metallic compound or next step dispersed phase of metal matrix. To achieve
optimum combination of properties it is required to produce a controlled morphology of constituent.
The properties of constituent’s phase, its relative amount, dispersed geometry including particle
shape and size along with orientation in matrix [1, 2].
Aluminium is light weight material and also exhibits good corrosion resistance properties.
Aluminium matrix composites have emerged from the lower mechanical properties of the pure
aluminum. Aluminium used in many applications, mainly on automobile products such as engine
piston, cylinder liner, brake disc/drum etc [3].
E-Glass was originally developed for standoff insulators for electrical wiring. It has the
capabilities of fiber forming and is used almost exclusively as the reinforcing phase in the
material [4].
In the present study, aluminum based metal matrix is reinforced with 2 to 10 wt% of glass
fiber and successfully synthesized using stir casting method.

Experimental Procedure
Commercially available Aluminium alloy 6061 is taken as a matrix material and E glass fiber
is used as reinforcement. The preparation of Aluminium matrix composite in the present study was
carried out by stir cast method which is depicted in Figure.1. Al6061 was melted and superheated at
7500 C in graphite crucible and the preheated glass fiber was added to the matrix in the order of 2%,
4%, 6%, 8% and 10% by weight of aluminium. The melt was continuously stirred for 5 minutes
using mechanical stirring to distribute the reinforcement uniformly inside the matrix. Immediately
the stirred melt was poured into the mould in the forms of rods (25mm diameter and 140mm
height). The castings were taken out from the mould after solidification. The above procedure was

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 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol. 877 51

repeated several times in the same way to get different percentage of reinforcement. The formation
of glass reinforcement is clearly visible in the microstructure analysis which is explained in the later
stage of the paper. As per ASTM E18 standards Rockwell hardness test was done to check the
surface hardness of as-cast and composite samples. Tensile test specimens were made according to
ASTM-E8 standards using tensometer, the wear test is done as per ASTM standards G99 using
a “Pin on disc wear testing equipment.”

Fig. 1. Preheated E-glass fiber added to liquid aluminium.

Results and Discussion

Tensile Strength and Hardness
In Figure.2, curve 1 indicates that the addition of E glass fiber leads to improvement in the
ultimate tensile strength. The UTS is increased from 74.28 N/sq. mm to 146.8 N/sq. mm at 6%
E-glass and decreases to 118.33 N/ sq. mm after 6% E-glass. Thus the strengthening of composite is
due to dispersion strengthening. Dispersion strengthening is due to the incorporation of very fine
fibers of E-glass, which acts as a barrier for dislocation density movement. Similar trend is
observed with the researchers who have studies similar matrix reinforcement content [6].

Fig. 2. Tensile strength and hardness of Aluminium 6061-E-glass fiber composite for
varying weight % E-glass fiber.
In Figure.2, curve 2 indicates that increasing of wt % of E glass fiber enhancing the hardness
of Al6061.It shows the interface bonding strength between composite matrix and reinforced
particles. E glass fiber decreases the density and increases the hardness and hardness of as-cast
increases from 22 RHN to 43 RHN. This clearly exhibits that the addition of E glass fiber to the
matrix alloy enhances the hardness and does not deteriorate the property of base alloy.
52 Recent Advances in Materials, Mechanical and Civil Engineering

Wear
Figure.3 shows that the wear of composite with higher reinforcement content is lesser when
compared to alloy or as cast and lower reinforcement content. This decrease in wear is due to the
increase in micro hardness of the composite with higher reinforcement content. But as the sliding
distance increases the distance moved by the pin specimen also increases with the increase in wear
of the composite which is quite natural phenomenon.

Fig. 3. Weight loss of Aluminium 6061-E glass fiber composite for varying sliding distance.
Microstructure
Microstructure of 0% and 6% of Al6061 E-glass composite is shown in figure 4 and figure 5
respectively. The sample is roughened with belt polish and fine polished with various emery papers
from 80,120,400, 600 and fine polished using Lavigated Alumina powder at the Magnification of
100 X using Keller reagent. Figure 4 exhibits a microstructure that reveals a structure of
interdendritic network of Al-Si eutectic which is present in the matrix of solid solution.

Fig. 4. Microstructure of 0% Aluminium 6061- E-glass fiber composite.

Fig. 5. Microstructure of 6% Aluminium 6061- E-glass fiber composite.

 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol. 877 53

Figure 5 depicts that large amount of inter dendritic Al-Mg2Al3 eutectic (gray) in the matrix
of aluminum solid solution with grain boundary clearly defined and inter metallic component being
visible.

Conclusions
The suitable conclusions which can be drawn from the present study are listed below:
• E-Glass fibers can be used as reinforcement in the Al6061 alloy matrix to fabricate the
composite materials which does not deteriorate the properties of base matrix.
• Compared to unreinforced matrix, addition of E-Glass fibers significantly improves ultimate
tensile strength of Al 6061; however the ultimate tensile strength begins to decrease above 6 wt% of
E-Glass fibers.
• Increase in wt% of the E-Glass increases the hardness of the composites considerably.
• From the microstructure analysis it is clearly seen that the composite fabricated have fairly
even distribution of reinforcements in the composite material.
• The composite exhibits Increased wear resistance with the increase in the reinforcement
content.

Acknowledgement
The authors would like to acknowledge their sincere gratitude to the managements of
respective institutions for their support and encouragement in this work.

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