EFFECT OF CRYOGENIC TREATMENT

ON HYBRID COMPOSITES
PROJECT MEMBERS
S. ASHOK KUMAR 41910120005
B. DIVAKAR - 41910120012
V. GOWTHAM(31.07.1992) 41910120017
S. MATHEW ANTONY SOLOMON - 41910120024
INTERNAL GUIDE
Prof. U. TAMILARASAN

ABSTRACT
Polymers

and composites are extensively used in

wear situations dominated by various types of
abrasive mechanisms.
Incorporation of fillers and fibers, heat treatment
and surface engineering by various chemical and
physical techniques have been successfully
employed to enhance wear behavior of metals as
well as non-metals.
In the case of metals, cryo-treatment is an
emerging technique for improving wear resistance
and corrosion resistance.
Hence, in this project investigations on the
influence of cryo-treatment on Mechanical
properties of composites are presented.

LITERATURE SURVEY
1. Susheel Kalia, Cryogenic Processing: A study Of Materials at
Low Temperatures, J Low Phys, 2010.
Strength, hardness and wear resistance of the chilled metal
matrix composites (MMC) also found better to those of the
matrix alloy. Chilled MMC showed mild wear regime with high
coefficient of friction at lower load but at higher loads MMC
showed severe wear with better wear resistance than the
matrix alloy.
2. S. Charles, and V.P. Arunachalam, Characterisation of properties
of Cryogenically Treated Al-SiC Composites Fabricated By
Powder Metallurgy, in Materials and Manufacturing Processes, 2007.
The cryogenic treatments of the composite specimens have a
significant effect in improving tensile property, hardness, and
wear resistance. Higher-reinforced composite specimens also
exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to the lessreinforced ones.

3. K.B. Nie, X.J. Wang, K. Wu, X.S. Hu, M.Y. Zheng and L. Xu,
Microstructure and tensile properties of micro SiC
particles reinforced magnesium matrix composites
produced by semisolid stirring assisted ultrasonic
vibration, Materials Science and Engineering: A, 2011
The study of the interface between the micro-SiC particle
and the alloy matrix suggested that micro-SiC particles
bonded well with the alloy matrix without interfacial
reaction. The ultimate tensile strength and yield strength
of the 3vol.% SiCp/AZ91 composite were improved while
elongation to fracture was almost kept.
4. K.K. Deng, K. Wu, Y.W. Wu, K.B. Nie, M.Y. Zheng, Effect of
Submicron size SiC particulates on the microstructure and
mechanical properties of AZ(! Magneisum matrix
composites, journal Of Alloys And Compounds, 2010
The presence of submicron-SiC particulates assisted in
improving the thermal stability, micro-hardness, elastic
modulus and 0.2% yield strength.

CYROGENICS
The term "Cryogenics" originates from Greek

word which means creation or production by

means of cold.
Acryogenic treatmentis the process of
treating workpieces to cryogenictemperatures
(i.e. below 190C (310F)) to
removeresidual stressesand improvewear
resistanceonsteels.
The technique of cryogenic processing is an
inexpensive method that improves the physical
and mechanical properties of materials such as
metals, plastics and composites

HYBRID COMPOSITES
Hybrid

materialsarecompositesconsisting of two
constituents at thenanometerormolecularlevel.
Commonly one of these compounds isinorganicand the
other oneorganicin nature. Thus, they differ from traditional
composites where the constituents are at the macroscopic
(micrometertomillimetre) level.
Mixing at the microscopic scale leads to a more
homogeneous material that either show characteristics in
between the two originalphasesor even new properties.
Many natural materials consist of inorganic and organic
building blocks distributed on the nanoscale.
In most cases the inorganic part provides mechanical
strength and an overall structure to the natural objects while
the organic part delivers bonding between the inorganic
building blocks and/or the soft tissue.
Typical examples of such materials arebone, ornacre.

Common Fabric Reinforcements

Magnesium Alloy As Matrix

Material
Metal

matrix composites (MMCs) based on

magnesium alloys are excellent candidates for
engineering light structure materials, and have
great potential in automotive, high performance
defence and aerospace applications.
In spite of relatively high number of papers
dealing with microstructure and mechanical
properties of MMCs based on Mg alloys, the
wear performance and other properties such as
hardness, strength of these materials after
cryogenic treatment are not known enough.

Silicon Carbide As
Reinforcement
Silicon

Carbide is the only chemical compound of carbon and silicon. It was

originally produced by a high temperature electro-chemical reaction of
sand and carbon.
Silicon carbide is an excellent abrasive and has been produced and made
into grinding wheels and other abrasive products for over one hundred
years.
Structural and wear applications are constantly developing.
The high thermal conductivity coupled with low thermal expansion and
high strength give this material exceptional thermal shock resistant
qualities.
Properties
Low density, High strength, Low thermal expansion, High thermal
conductivity, High hardness, High elastic modulus, Excellent thermal shock
resistance, Superior chemical inertness
Density 3.1gm/cc
Hardness 2800Kg/mm 2

Objective
To

make a comparative study on the hardness,

wear resistance and corrosion resistance of
cryogenically treated composite samples with
that of untreated.
To study the effect of different parameters on the
strength of cryogenically treated composites and
comparison between the treated and untreated
samples to explain the increase in properties
To study the microstructural changes.

Processing
Processing

of the composite is the important step in the project.

It is carried out by using stir casting process.
In a stir casting process, the reinforcing phases (usually in powder form)
are distributed into molten magnesium by mechanical stirring. Stir
casting of metal matrix composites was initiated in 1968, when S. Ray
introduced alumina particles into an aluminum melt by stirring molten
aluminum alloys containing the ceramic powders
Mechanical stirring in the furnace is a key element of this process.
The resultant molten alloy, with ceramic particles, can then be used for
die casting, permanent mold casting, or sand casting. Stir casting is
suitable for manufacturing composites with up to 30% volume fractions
of reinforcement.
A major concern associated with the stir casting process is the
segregation of reinforcing particles which is caused by the surfacing or
settling of the reinforcement particles during the melting and casting
processes.

Cryogenic Treatment
Procedure
Cryogenic

processing is capable of treating a wide variety of

materials such as metals, alloys, polymers, carbides, ceramics and
composites. Deep cryogenic is the ultra low temperature
processing of materials to enhance their desired metallurgical and
structural properties.
This is a temperature about 77 K.
Cryogenic processing uses temperature around 77 K because this
temperature is easily achieved using computer controls, a well
insulated treatment chamber and liquid nitrogen.
Cryogenics involves slow cooling of the material from room
temperature to 77 K and ramp down times are in the 4 to 10 hours
range. Thereafter the material is soaked or held at 77 K for 20 to
30 hours which depends upon the volume of the part. Finally the
material is brought back to room temperature [7]. The ramp up
times can be from 10 to 20 hours range.

Advantages of Cryogenic
Treatment
Cryogenic

is the treatment of materials at extremely low temperatures and considered

to be environment friendly.
Sub-zero treatments for ferrite steels at temperature of approximately 193 K
transforms retained austenite left by the heat treatments process to martensite
enhance the material properties.
Cryogenic refines and stabilizes the crystal lattice structure and distribute carbon
particles throughout the material resulting a stronger and hence more durable
material. All of the individual constituents that make up an alloy are placed into their
most stable state.
These constituents then are aligned optimally with surroundings. Also, molecular
bonds are strengthened by the process.
Particle alignment and grain refinement combine to relieve internal stresses, which
can contribute to part failure. This results in material that is optimized for durability.
The extremely low temperature during cryogenic processing also slows the movement
at atomic levels and increases the internal molecular bonding energy and hence
promotes a pure structural balance throughout the material.
As a result the material is obtained with an extremely uniform, refined and dense
microstructure which ultimately leads to improvement in physical and mechanical
properties.

Thank You