Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3
Journal of Bio- and Tribo-Corrosion (2018) 4:62
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40735-018-0182-8
Corrosion Behaviour of Al 7075/Al
2
O
3
/SiC MMNCs by Weight Loss
Method
S. Suresh
1
· G. Harinath Gowd
2
· M. L. S. Devakumar
1
Received: 23 May 2018 / Revised: 18 August 2018 / Accepted: 27 August 2018
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2018
Abstract
Aluminium-based metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs) are a variety of brand-new designed items. They serve a broad
range of applications in the automobile, aerospace, biotechnology, electronic and defence markets. MMNCs are included
in non-aluminium matrices such as nano-Al
2
O
3
(20–30 nm), Nano-SiC (50 nm), etc., which provide benefcial architectural
features for base metal (AL) alloys. These include improved dimensional stability, creep resistance, abrasion resistance, and
also excellent heat capacity. The present paper is a study on the corrosion characteristics of a MMNC and an unreinforced
alloy (Al 7075). MMNCs have been used with nano-silicon carbide (SiC) and nano-aluminium oxide (Al
2
O
3
). The Al 7075
series alloy is used to develop a composite with diferent portions of SiC (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0%), and a hybrid composite
with an equivalent quantity of Al
2
O
3
and SiC has been prepared by a liquid phase technique using a stir-casting method.
In the present work, the weight-loss approach has been carried out by immersing the sample for 96 h in various corrosion
media, such as sulfuric acid (H
2
SO
4
), hydrochloric acid (HCl), and 3.5% sodium chloride (Nacl). The results recommend
that hybrid demonstrates extra resistance to corrosion.
Keywords Al 7075 · Al
2
O
3
· SiC · Corrosion rate
1 Introduction
Lightweight aluminium composites are employed for many
engineering applications because of their exceptional com-
bination of properties such as thermal conductivity, excel-
lent corrosion resistance, high toughness to volume propor-
tion, and high elasticity. Abdul-Jameel et al. [1] revealed
the evaluation of the corrosion rate of an Al6061/zircon
metal matrix composite in sea water. Aluminium 7075
alloys are usually utilised in fabricating aircraft as well as
automobile parts due to their high strength to volume ratio
so as to produce lightweight components that conserve
energy consumption. Al-Baaji et al. [2] carried out a test
on the corrosion behaviour of an aluminium alloy matrix
reinforced with alumina nanocomposite products in an
association of two or more metals. Nunes et al. [3] studied
the corrosion behaviour of alumina–aluminum and silicon
carbide (SiC)–aluminum metal matrix composites. A metal
matrix nanocomposite (MMNC) contains two elements, a
metal matrix and a non-metallic or reinforcement material.
Bienas et al. [4] revealed the corrosion characteristics of an
aluminium matrix composite reinforced with SiC particles.
During the manufacturing of the nanocomposite, the rein-
forcement and the matrix metal are combined. Liu et al. [5]
studied the corrosion behaviour of an Al/AlN
p
composite
in an alkaline solution. SiC has been used as reinforcement
particles in the shape of fbers, particulates, and whiskers to
enhance the commercial properties of composites [6]. The
present study includes research work on the corrosion behav-
iour of Al 7075 matrix metal enhanced by nano-Al
2
O
3
and
nano-SiC [7, 8]. MMNCs are generated by using an electric
stir-casting technique [9, 10]. Pitting deterioration tests have
been carried out to determine the corrosion resistance of
Al
2
O
3
and SiC nano-reinforced Al 7075 composites in HCl,
H
2
SO
4
and NaCl [11, 12].
* S. Suresh
sonagirisuresh@gmail.com
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, JNTUA,
Anantapuramu, A.P, India
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, MITS, Madanapalle,
A.P 517325, India