Effect of additive type and amount on structural and mechanical properties of ZrO₂/B₄C/Al₂O₃/SiC added Al 1050 based composite structures produced by vacuum infiltration—Comparative study.

This article focuses on the production and evaluation of aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) based on commercially pure Al 1050 alloy reinforced with four different ceramics—zirconium dioxide (ZrO₂), boron carbide (B₄C), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), and silicon carbide (SiC)—using the vacuum infiltration method. The study investigates how varying weight ratios (5%, 10%, and 15%) of these ceramic reinforcements affect the composites’ microstructure, phase composition, density, hardness, bending strength, and abrasive wear resistance. Results indicate that SiC- and Al₂O₃-reinforced composites exhibit more homogeneous microstructures and better wettability with the aluminum matrix, leading to higher hardness and wear resistance, while ZrO₂- and B₄C-reinforced composites show greater porosity, lower density, and reduced fracture strength. The infiltration height correlates inversely with reinforcement density, with B₄C composites achieving the greatest infiltration distance. Overall, ceramic reinforcements improve hardness and wear resistance but tend to decrease flexural strength due to increased brittleness and porosity.