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Journal of Polymer & Composites Original Research Special issue

Impact of Mould Material on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Aluminium Castings: A Comparative Study with Aluminium Matrix Composites

  1. Rajib Gupta Department of Metallurgical & Material Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
  2. Anupam Maiti Department of Metallurgical & Material Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
  3. Sujan Krishna Samanta Department of Biomedical Engineering, Netaji Subhash Engineering College, Kolkata
  4. Sourav Debnath Department of Electrical Engineering, Brainware University, Kolkata
  5. Akshay Kumar Pramanick Department of Metallurgical & Material Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata

Abstract

Casting has a wide industrial usage because it allows manufacturing complicated forms even at a comparatively low cost. Issues like transfer of heat through the interface of the mould and the metals, the rate of solidification, and the characteristics of the mould material have a powerful impact on the quality of cast products. This study measures the influence of various mould substances on the mechanical characteristics of aluminium castings. Sand, metal and plaster of paris were used to prepare moulds with a steel rod of about 25 mm diameter being used as a casting pattern. The scraps of aluminium were melted and cast into the moulds made available. A specimen that was taken out of every casting was machined and tested in tensile, hardness, and impact tests as well as microstructural analysis. These findings revealed that Sample A (prepared through metal mould) registered the highest value of hardness of 38.00 BHN and Sample C (prepared through plaster of parismould), the second best registered 36.50 BHN. Contrastingly, Sample B (prepared through sand-cast) was the most ductile and the least hard. The observed increase in hardness of metal and plaster of parismould castings is explained by the faster cooling rates and the refinement of the microstructure, and slower cooling in sand moulds led to larger microstructures and higher ducilities. Sand moulds are more applicable in high ductility and metal and plaster of paris moulds are more applicable where more hardness is required. Finally, a detailed comparative analysis has carried out based on fabricated products with available aluminium metal matrix composites.

Keywords

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