Compressive Behavioural Analysis of LM26/ZrB2 Composite Using Finite Element Method

Over the last few decades, a great deal of research has gone into developing a material that can fulfil the ever-increasing demands of the industries. Because of its corrosion resistance, ductility, and good electrical conductivity, aluminium is one of the most often utilized lightweight materials in engineering industries. Because of its soft nature, aluminium is inefficient in situations when thermal loads are large. Metal matrix composites (MMCs), a novel class of engineered materials that uses aluminium alloys as a matrix, are being developed to overcome this issue. In this study, the volume fraction of reinforcement (ZrB2) and properties of both LM26 aluminium alloy as well as its composites were used to create models (matrix and composites) to analyze the compressive behaviour. A total of four LM26/ZrB2 composites containing varying percentages of reinforcement (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 wt%) were modelled using CAD modelling software. Compressive strength analysis was carried out using finite element analysis software (ANSYS R15.0) to determine the mechanical properties of the matrix and composite models such as von Mises stress, equivalent elastic strain, and total deformation. The minimum compressive stress, strain, and total deformation for the composite model with 7.5 wt% of ZrB2 were found to be 499.79 MPa, 0.0043 mm/mm, and 0.06 mm, respectively.