Enhancement of Mechanical Properties, wear resistance and EDM performance of Biodegradable Magnesium alloy MMC

Abstract

In this study the mechanical, wear, and electrical discharge machining (EDM) performance of biodegradable WE43 magnesium alloy was enhanced by adding ceramic reinforcement like silicon carbide, aluminium oxide, and boron carbide. Two hybrid composite specimens were fabricated in this investigation with WE43 MMC 1 is reinforced with 6 wt.% reinforcement (2% SiC, 2% Al2O3, and 2% B₄C) and WE43 MMC 2 with 10 wt.% reinforcement (3.5% SiC, 3.5% Al2O3, and 3% B4C). The weight % of ceramic reinforcement content is increased, the yield strength is enhanced from 158.69 MPa to 211.47 MPa, ultimate tensile strength is improved from 241.25 MPa to 285.36 MPa, and hardness from 65.8 to 89.4. However, there was a drop-in ductility, with elongation falling from 6.52% to 3.25%, showing that there is a trade-off between strength and plasticity. The hard-ceramic content made the material more resistant to wear and are expected to make EDM easier by reducing electrode wear and improving surface quality because they are more thermally stable. SEM and EDS analysis are carried out in this study to evaluate the microstructural and surface topography of WE43 MMC. The result of this study demonstrates that the WE43 MMC 2 are promising candidates for high-performance applications in biomedical and aerospace sectors requiring lightweight materials with superior mechanical and EDM-compatible properties.