Effect of Ashes on Micro-structure and Mechanical Properties of LM24

Technology for nature-a new venture by mechanical engineering community for betterment of environment for healthy survival of future industries, science, technology and humankind. The present investigation work has been focused on the utilization of industrial and agricultural wastes i.e. fly ash and rice husk ash which is available in abundance in India, in useful manner by dispersing it into LM24 Aluminum alloy matrix to fabricate composites by liquid metallurgy route. Fly ash and Rice husk ash particles up to 106 m were used. Composites formed by reinforcing fly ash and rice husk ash particles into Al alloy were tested for their mechanical and micro-structural properties. The tests included were Optical microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-Ray Diffraction, Micro-hardness, Impact and Tensile strength. It was found that the mechanical properties of the composites formed by using the reinforcements i.e. fly ash and rice husk ash were better than the base alloy LM24, thus proving that applications where LM24 is being used could be replaced by low cost and low weight fly ash-rice husk ash-Al alloy metal matrix composites.