Aluminium metal matrix composites have been shown to make significant contributions to the area of new materials and have become widely accepted in high-tech structural and functional applications such as those in the aircraft, automobile, marine, mineral, defence, transportation, thermal management, automotive, and sports and recreation fields. Metal matrix composites are manufactured using a variety of manufacturing processes. Stirring casting, powder metallurgy, squeezing casting, in situ processes, deposition techniques, and electroplating are part of the manufacturing process used in the manufacture of aluminium-metal matrix composites. Metal matrix composites that use friction stir processing have a distinct advantage over metal matrix composites that use other manufacturing techniques. FSP’s benefits include a finer grain, processing zone homogeneity, densification, and the homogenization of aluminium alloy and composite precipitates. Most metal matrix composite investigations achieve aluminium-metal matrix composite precipitate grain refinement, treated zone homogeneity, densification, and homogenization. This part of the work examines the impact of reinforcing particles, process parameters, multiple passes, and active cooling on mechanical properties during the fabrication of 5000-series aluminium-metal matrix composites using friction stir processing. This paper reports on the available literature on aluminium metal matrix composites fabricated with 5xxx series marine grade aluminium alloy using FSP.

Aluminium metal matrix composites are widely used in automotive, aerospace, marine, and structural engineering due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and superior mechanical properties. Optimizing friction stir process parameters is critical to enhancing the performance of these materials. This study investigates the effects of FSP parameters such as rotational speed, tilt angle, and traverse speed, on the mechanical properties of AA5083/Silicon carbide and AA5083/Coal composites. Using a Taguchi L9 design of experiments, signal-to-noise ratio, and analysis of variance, this study identifies the optimal process settings for maximizing ultimate tensile strength, microhardness, and elongation. From the results, the study revealed that for AA5083/Silicon carbide composites, rotational speed was the most significant factor affecting tensile strength, while for AA5083/Coal composites, tilt angle played a more critical role. Rotational speed consistently influenced microhardness and elongation for both materials. The signal-to-noise ratio analysis indicates that optimal FSP parameters vary depending on the reinforcement material used. This study highlights the importance of tailoring FSP settings to specific reinforcements to achieve optimal mechanical properties. These findings contribute to the advancement of friction stir processing techniques for fabricating high-performance aluminium metal matrix composites, particularly for applications in industries requiring strong, lightweight, and corrosion-resistant materials.

This study evaluates the development and characterization of AA5083/Coal composite joints using Friction Stir Processing (FSP) technology. The primary findings reveal significant improvements in the grain structure, with the utilization of FSP leading to an average mean grain size of 31.173 μm, representing a reduction of 50.8598% compared to the AA5083-H111 base material. This grain refinement contributed to a notable increase in hardness, achieving an average of 91.42 HV for the AA5083/Coal composite. The highest tensile strength recorded was 280 MPa, with a yield strength of 225.6 MPa. Additionally, flexural strength analysis indicated a significant difference between face and root specimens, with face specimens demonstrating a maximum ultimate flexural strength of 747.53 MPa. However, the agglomeration of coal particles and non-uniform particle distribution negatively impacted the mechanical properties, resulting in a slight reduction in the ultimate tensile strength compared to the AA5083-H111 base material. This work offers valuable insights into the fabrication and characterization of AA5083/Coal composite joints, contributing to the development of lightweight and cost-effective materials. The study underscores the importance of optimizing process parameters to minimize defects and enhance mechanical performance.