Mechanical Properties and Corrosion Behaviour of Aluminium Hybrid Composites Reinforced with Silicon Carbide and Bamboo Leaf Ash

The viability of developing low cost – high performance Al matrix hybrid composites with the use of bamboo leaf ash (an agro waste ash) and silicon carbide as complementing reinforcements was investigated. Silicon carbide (SiC)particulates added with 0, 2, 3, and 4 wt% bamboo leaf ash (BLA) were utilized to prepare 10 wt% of the reinforcing phase with Al-Mg-Si alloy as matrix using two-step stir casting method. Microstructural characterization, mechanical properties evaluation and corrosion behaviour were used to assess the performance of the composites. The results show that the hardness, ultimate tensile strength, and percent elongation of the hybrid composites decrease with increase in BLA content. The fracture toughness of the hybrid composites were however superior to that of the single reinforced Al - 10 wt% SiC composite. Only the 2 wt % BLA containing hybrid composite had specific strength value comparable to that of the single reinforced composite. In 5wt% NaCl solution, it was observed that the 2 and 3 wt % BLA containing hybrid composites had higher corrosion resistance in comparison to the single reinforced Al - 10 wt% SiC composite but the reverse trend was observed in 0.3M H2SO4 solution where the single reinforced had superior corrosion resistance.