The Impacts of Fly Ash Particles on the Zinc Aluminum Casting Alloy and Its Mechanical Properties

Fly ash is a light byproduct produced when pulverized coal is burnt in suspension-fueled furnaces in power plants. Separating the recovered fly ash from the exhaust gases. Due to its distinct physical and chemical properties, it is utilized in a wide variety of industrial and building applications. These applications include the production of cement and concrete, the stabilization of liquid waste, and hydraulic mining backfill. Fly ash has the potential to enhance the physical and mechanical properties of aluminum castings, as well as reduce their costs and increase their densities, all while lowering their prices. This research investigated the effect of fly ash incorporation on the mechanical properties of the aluminum casting alloy ZA8. Investigated were the cast and heat-treated varieties of unreinforced ZA8 and its metal matrix composite of 15% ferrous, 20% nickel, 10% fly ash, and 10% magnesium carbide. According to the results, the quantity of fly ash in the melt affected the tensile and impact properties of the metal matrix composite. The loss of magnesium atoms in the matrix, which contributes to the strength of solid solutions, and porosity both contribute to the lower mechanical properties and impact resistance of the metal matrix composite.