Enhancement of Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Aluminum-Titanium Carbide (Al-TiC) Metal Matrix Composites via Powder Metallurgy

Notice

This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.

Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | 03 | Page :
    By

    Kopanathi Manish,

  • Kotthapalli Karthik,

  • Priyaranjan Samal,

  • S. Ramesh Kumar,

  1. M. Tech Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, India
  2. Research Scholar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, India
  4. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) have emerged as a result of the increasing need for sophisticated lightweight materials with exceptional mechanical and tribological qualities. For structural and wear-critical applications, aluminum-based composites supplemented with ceramic particles such as titanium carbide (TiC) have shown great promise. In this work, aluminum-TiC composites made by powder metallurgy a process that guarantees even particle dispersion, regulated porosity, and the creation of near-net shapes are fabricated, mechanically characterized, and their performance is assessed. Composites with different amounts of TiC (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) were created and put through compression, tensile, and wear testing. The research results indicate that raising the TiC reinforcement content up to an optimal level of 15% significantly enhances the tensile strength, compressive strength, and wear resistance of the material. Specifically, at 15% TiC, the compressive strength reached a maximum of 666 MPa, whereas the tensile strength increased from 99.5 MPa in pure aluminum to 155.2 MPa. Particle aggregation and increasing brittleness caused the mechanical characteristics to gradually decrease above this level. Due to the high hardness and load-bearing capacity of TiC, wear tests consistently showed improvements in surface durability. According to this study, 15% TiC is the optimal composition for balanced performance and TiC reinforcement effectively improves the mechanical behavior of aluminum matrices. The created composites can be used in manufacturing, automotive, and aerospace applications where a high strength-to-weight ratio, resistance to wear, and thermal stability are critical. High-performance MMCs may be produced economically and successfully using the powder metallurgy technique.

Keywords: Aluminum, TiC, Composites, Wear, Aluminum Matrix Composition, Metal Matrix Composition.

How to cite this article:
Kopanathi Manish, Kotthapalli Karthik, Priyaranjan Samal, S. Ramesh Kumar. Enhancement of Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Aluminum-Titanium Carbide (Al-TiC) Metal Matrix Composites via Powder Metallurgy. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(03):-.
How to cite this URL:
Kopanathi Manish, Kotthapalli Karthik, Priyaranjan Samal, S. Ramesh Kumar. Enhancement of Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Aluminum-Titanium Carbide (Al-TiC) Metal Matrix Composites via Powder Metallurgy. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(03):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=243472


References

  1. Surappa, M. K. “Aluminum matrix composites: Challenges and opportunities.” Sadhana28, no. 1 (2003): 319-334. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02717141
  2. Saini, D.K. and Jha, P.K. “Fabrication of aluminum metal matrix composite through continuous casting route: A review and future directions” J. Manuf. Process (2023) 96, pp. 138–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2023.04.041
  3. Tjong, Sie Chin. “Recent progress in the development and properties of novel metal matrix nanocomposites reinforced with carbon nanotubes and graphene nanosheets.” Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports74, no. 10 (2013): 281-350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mser.2013.08.001
  4. Zhang, Zhe, and D. L. Chen. “Consideration of Orowan strengthening effect in particulate-reinforced metal matrix nanocomposites: A model for predicting their yield strength.” Scripta materialia,54, no. 7 (2006): 1321-1326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2005.12.017
  5. Gray, JEl, and Ben Luan. “Protective coatings on magnesium and its alloys—a critical review.” Journal of alloys and compounds336, no. 1-2 (2002): 88-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0925-8388(01)01899-0
  6. Tjong, S. C., and Z. Y. Ma. “Microstructural and mechanical characteristics of in situ metal matrix composites.” Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports29, no. 3-4 (2000): 49-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0927-796X(00)00024-3
  7. Singh, R., A. K. Sharma, and M. N. Shukla. “Fabrication of Al-TiC Composites by Three-Step Powder Metallurgy: Microstructure and Mechanical Properties.” International Journal of Vehicle Structures & Systems14, no. 5 (2022): 634-639. doi: 10.4273/ijvss.14.5.16
  8. Casati, Riccardo, and Maurizio Vedani. “Metal matrix composites reinforced by nano-particles—a review.” Metals,4, no. 1 (2014): 65-83. https://doi.org/10.3390/met4010065
  9. Holmberg, Kenneth, and Allan Matthews. Coatings tribology: properties, mechanisms, techniques and applications in surface engineering. Vol. 56. Elsevier, 2009.
  10. Smagorinski, M. E., P. G. Tsantrizos, S. Grenier, A. Cavasin, T. Brzezinski, and G. Kim. “The properties and microstructure of Al-based composites reinforced with ceramic particles.” Materials Science and Engineering: A,244, no. 1 (1998): 86-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-5093(97)00830-7
  11. Prabu, S. Balasivanandha, L. Karunamoorthy, S. Kathiresan, and B. Mohan. “Influence of stirring speed and stirring time on distribution of particles in cast metal matrix composite.” Journal of Materials Processing Technology171, no. 2 (2006): 268-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2005.06.071
  12. David, R., Dasgupta, R., and Prasad, B. K., “Effect of Fine TiC Particle Reinforcement on the Dry Sliding Wear Behavior of in Situ Synthesized ZA27 Alloy,” ASME J. Tribol., 141, no. 2 (2019) p. 021605. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4041257
  13. Samal, P., Surekha, B., and Vundavilli, P. R., “Experimental Investigations on Microstructure, Mechanical Behavior and Tribological Analysis of AA5154/SiC Composites by Stir Casting,” Silicon, 14, no. 7, (2022) pp. 3317–3328. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-021-01115-2
  14. Lin, J. Wang, H. Wu, F. Jia, Y. Lu, M. Ren, M. Yang, Z. Chen, Z. Jiang, “Synergistic effects of TiC and graphene on the microstructure and tribological properties of Al2024 matrix composites”, Adv. Powder Technol., 32 (2021), pp. 3635-3649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apt.2021.08.015
  15. P Samal, H Raj, A Meher, B Surekha, PR Vundavilli, P Sharma, “Synergistic Effect of B4C and Multi-Walled CNT on Enhancing the Tribological Performance of Aluminum A383 Hybrid Composites”, Lubricants, 12, no 6, (2024), pp. 213. https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12060213
Ahead of Print Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
03
Received 27/09/2025
Accepted 11/02/2026
Published 11/05/2026
Publication Time 226 Days
2

Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics