Mechanical characterization of precipitation hardened Al7075-grey cast iron powder reinforced metal matrix composites

Al7075 alloy is the most commonly used by the aerospace industry. Al7075 alloy is characterized by its improved properties such as higher toughness, specific strength and hardness. The current work focuses on the preparation and characterization of age hardened Al7075-Grey cast iron composites. Two stage stir casting technique is used for the preparation of the composite. Age hardening treatment is imparted to enhance the mechanical characteristics. The variation of hardness and tensile strength with respect to aging temperature and percentage of reinforcement is analyzed. The composites exhibit higher hardness and tensile strength as the reinforcement percentage is increased at an aging temperature of 100°C.