Effect of different PCA types on morphology, physical, thermal and mechanical properties of AA2024-B4C composites.

In this study, the effect of various process control agents (PCAs), including Methanol, Ethanol, Stearic acid, and Zinc stearate, on the properties of AA2024-B 4 C composite powders during the milling was investigated. Through comprehensive analyses encompassing morphological imaging, EDS assessments, particle size measurements, hardness evaluations, apparent density calculations, XRD, TGA examinations, and subsequent hardness and tensile strength tests on bulk samples derived from these composite powders, intriguing findings emerged. The employment of methanol as a PCA manifested an 85% reduction in the average particle size, decreasing from 220 μm (initial powder size) to 35 μm after 5 h of milling. In contrast, the use of zinc stearate resulted in a more conservative 21% reduction, with an average particle size of 174 μm. Notably, methanol usage resulted in superior hardness (144.5 HB) and tensile strength (262 MPa) compared to zinc stearate, which yielded lower values (107.8 HB and 204.5 MPa). [Display omitted] • AA2024-B 4 C composite powders were milled using different PCA types for the first time. • Liquid (Methanol and Ethanol) and solid (Stearic acid and Zinc stearate) PCA types were used. • The effect of PCAs on the morphological, physical, thermal and mechanical properties of composite powders was investigated. • The most effective PCA in the examination of all morphological, physical and mechanical properties is methanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]