Mechanical properties of nano-alumina reinforced Al 6063 nanocomposites produced by reactive mechanical milling and hot extrusion

Ultrafine-grained Al 6063 alloy reinforced with Al2O3 nanoparticles was synthesized by a solid-gas reactive mechanical alloying (RMA) under a mixture of Ar and O2 atmosphere followed by hot extrusion. It was found that microstructural evolution during RMA is faster than that of the non-reactive atmosphere. Reinforcement of the aluminium alloy with the alumina nanoparticles also resulted in a considerable enhancement in the hardness and strength of Al6063 alloy. The aging behaviour of the aluminum alloy matrix was also influenced. This paper reports experimental results on the synthesis and characterization of Al 6063/Al2O3 nanocomposites produced by reactive mechanical milling.

Keywords:

Al matrix nanocomposite , Reactive mechanical alloying , Age hardening , Mechanical properties