IJIRST –International Journal for Innovative Research in Science & Technology| Volume 2 | Issue 12 | May 2016 ISSN (online): 2349-6010 All rights reserved by www.ijirst.org 436 Mechanical Behavior of Particle Reinforcedaluminium Matrix Composites – A Review Amresh Kumar Manoj Kumar Assistant Professor Professor Chandigarh Engineering College, Landran, Mohali, India Chandigarh Engineering College, Landran, Mohali, India Rachin Goyal Associate Professor Chandigarh Engineering College, Landran, Mohali, India Abstract Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) with improved mechanical properties and their relatively reduced cost have made them attractive for wide range of applications like aerospace, automotive, sports and electronics industries. The advantages of particulate-reinforced composites over others are their formability with cost advantage. Further, they are inherent with heat and wear resistant properties. In general, the Al-MMCs are found to have higher elastic modulus, tensile and fatigue strength over monolithic alloys. It is evident that the structures and properties of the reinforcements control the mechanical properties of the composites. However, it is difficult to establish a direct relationship between mechanical properties of the composites, volume fraction, type of reinforcement and surface nature of reinforcements. Keywords: Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs), Fabrication of Particulate Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites (PRMMCs), Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ I. INTRODUCTION Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) with improved mechanical properties andtheir relatively reduced cost have made them attractive for wide range of applications like aerospace, automotive, sports and electronics industries [1]. More specifically, particulate MMCs(PMMCs) have been shown to offer improvements in strength, wear resistance, structural efficiency, reliability and control of physical properties such as density and coefficient of thermal expansion, improved wear behavior made them more efficient for various engineering applications in comparison to the un-reinforced matrix [2,3]. Aluminium and silicon carbide, for example, have very different mechanical properties: Young's moduli of 70 and 400 GPa, coefficients of thermal expansion of 24 x 10 -6 and 4x10 -6 , and yield strengths of 35 and 600 MPa, respectively. By combining these materials, e.g. A6061/SiC/17p (T6 condition), an MMC with a Young's modulus of 96.6 GPa and a yield strength of 510 MPa can be produced [4].Al based composites are more oftenly used in aerospace industry and they are usually reinforced by Al2O3, SiC, C but SiO2, B, BN, B4C, AlN and Gr etc. are also in use [5,6]. As proposed by the American Aluminum Association the AMCs should be designated by their constituents: accepted designation of the matrix / abbreviation of the reinforcement’s de signation / arrangement and volume fraction in % with symbol of type (shape) of reinforcement. For example, an aluminum alloy AA6061 reinforced by particulates of alumina, 22 % volume fraction, is designated as “AA6061/Al 2O3/22p" [7]. Present study is focused upon AMMCs as these materials offer isotropic properties with an increase in strength and stiffness compared to unreinforced materials. One of the major challenges when processing MMCs is achieving a homogeneous distribution of reinforcement in the matrix as it has a strong impact on the properties and the quality of the material [4]. II. FABRICATION OF PARTICULATE REINFORCED METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES (PRMMCS) A wide variety of fabrication techniques have been explored for metal matrix composites. These include liquid metallurgy methods, deposition of matrix from a semi-solid or vapor phase, and solid state consolidation [1,2]. Liquid phase processing has attractive economic aspects [4]. Chopped fibers, whiskers and particulates have been incorporated into molten matrix alloys. In some cases, pressure assistance has been used to infiltrate the reinforcement with the molten matrix. These methods result in microstructu res dictated by the solidification of the molten metal. Achieving a homogeneous mixture can be difficult, particularly with fibers [4]. Powder Metallurgy is also extensively used to produce MMC. The important steps are; Blending of metallic powder with ceramic fibers or particulate, followed by cold compaction, canning, evacuation, degassing and a high temperature consolidation stage such as Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) or extrusion. It has been realized that increasing number of reinforcements in MMCs can improve some mechanical properties, depends upon the nature of reinforcement or sometimes it reduces cost without altering the properties significantly, such type of combination is called a hybrid composite [8]. Hybrid MMCs are commonly produced by two basic manufacturing techniques namely casting and