TAGUCHI ANALYSIS OF HEAT-TREATMENT VARIABLES ON THE MECHANICAL-BEHAVIOR OF ALUMINA ALUMINUM METAL-MATRIX COMPOSITES

Alumina-reinforced aluminum 6061 alloy composites containing 10, 15 an d 20 volume percentage particulates were tested using the standard ten sile and Charpy impact toughness tests. A statistical approach, known as the Taguchi method, was implemented to identify heat treatment cond itions for improved tensile and impact toughness properties. Modulus o f elasticity, yield strength, and ultimate tensile strength all increa sed while impact toughness decreased as a function of the volume perce ntage of reinforcement for the alumina/aluminum composites in the T6 h eat treated condition. Taguchi analysis results indicate that, on aver age, a 4% increase in yield strength and a 7% increase in ultimate ten sile strength over the standard T6 heat treatment can be attained usin g a heat treatment of 6 h of solutionizing at 529-degrees-C and 12-18 h of aging at 160-degrees-C. Similarly, using a heat treatment of 2 h of solutionizing at 529-degrees-C and 12 h of aging at 127-degrees-C r esults in an impact toughness improvement of more than 87% over the st andard T6 heat treatment.