Enhancing Mechanical Properties of Aluminium-Based Biocomposites through the Addition of Hybrid Reinforcing Particulates

This study looks into the improvement of mechanical properties in Al-7Mg-2Si-0.1Nb-based biocomposites by incorporating hybrid additions of Irvingia Wombolu Shell Particulates (IWSP) and Mangifera indica shell particulates (MISP). The biocomposites were created using the stir-casting technique. Tensile, hardness, and impact strength were used to determine the mechanical properties of the developed biocomposites. The study shows that the additions of IWSP and MISp have a significant impact on the biocomposites’ properties. The addition of hybrid 2wt% IWSP and 10wt% MISP resulted in a higher percentage elongation compared to the base alloy. The ultimate tensile strength of the biocomposites increased significantly with the addition of both IWSP and MISP, peaking at 6wt% IWSP and 6 wt% MISP. The hybrids of IWSP and MISP consistently demonstrated higher tensile strength, reaching a maximum ultimate tensile strength of 132 MPa. The hardness properties of the biocomposites improved with the addition of IWSP and MISP, with the highest values observed in hybrid combinations of 6 wt% IWSP and 6 wt% MISP. Specifically, the addition of 6wt% IWSP and 6wt% MISP resulted in a remarkable 34.9% increase in hardness. The study found that adding IWSP and MISP significantly improved the impact strength of the Al-7wt%Mg-2wt%Si-0.1wt%Nb alloy matrix, with a maximum value of 45 J at a hybrid 6 wt% IWSP and 6 wt% MISP. These findings demonstrate the ability of hybrid additions to improve the mechanical properties of Al-7Mg-2Si-0.1Nb-based biocomposites, making them a promising candidate for a variety of engineering applications.