Multifunctional A356 alloy/PKSAnp composites:Microstructure and mechanical properties

Mechanical properties and microstructure of multifunctional composites produced with palm kernel shell ash nano particle(PKSAnp)-A356 alloy composites was studied.The composites were produced using Double layer feeding stir casting method(DLF-SCM) by adding 1 wt%-4 wt.% PKSAnp.The microstructure,density,electrical and mechanical properties were determined.The results shows that there was a uniform distribution of the PKSAnp in A356 alloy.The mismatch at the interface between the PKSAnp and A356 alloy was 4.26%.Improvement of 30.47%,41.91%,49.52%,40.90% and 65.09% were obtained for hardness values,tensile,yield strength,%elongation and impact energy at 4 wt% PKASnp.The work has established that the developed composites can be used for multifunctional applications where combination of toughness and strength is vital.