Strengthening of Aluminum Wires Treated with A206/Alumina Nanocomposites

This study sought to characterize aluminum nanocomposite wires that were fabricated through a cold-rolling process, having potential applications in TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding of aluminum. A206 (Al-4.5Cu-0.25Mg) master nanocomposites with 5 wt % γAl(2)O(3) nanoparticles were first manufactured through a hybrid process combining semi-solid mixing and ultrasonic processing. A206/1 wt % γAl(2)O(3) nanocomposites were fabricated by diluting the prepared master nanocomposites with a monolithic A206 alloy, which was then added to a pure aluminum melt. The fabricated Al–γAl(2)O(3) nanocomposite billet was cold-rolled to produce an Al nanocomposite wire with a 1 mm diameter and a transverse area reduction of 96%. Containing different levels of nanocomposites, the fabricated samples were mechanically and electrically characterized. The results demonstrate a significantly higher strength of the aluminum wires with the nanocomposite addition. Further, the addition of alumina nanoparticles affected the wires’ electrical conductivity compared with that of pure aluminum and aluminum–copper alloys. The overall properties of the new material demonstrate that these wires could be an appealing alternative for fillers intended for aluminum welding.