Microstructure and corrosion resistance of 7075 aluminium alloy composite material obtained from chips in the high-energy ball milling process - experimental data

7075 aluminium alloy milling chips, silicon carbide, and titanium dioxide powders were grinded using the following parameters: grinding speed 400 and 1000 rpm, total grinding time 30 and 60 min, total concentration of the ceramic powders in the grinded mixtures 3, 6 and 12 wt.%. TiO2:SiC weight ratio was always 1:1. Morphology of the raw materials were studied using microscope (one image file included). Particle size distribution for the powders obtained at 400 rpm was determined using sieve analysis (6 data files included). Particle size distribution of powders obtained at 1000 rpm and for the fraction below 200 micrometers of the powders fabricated at 400 rpm were also determined (42 data files included).Morphology of the powders obtained in the ball milling process was studied using scanning electron microscope (one image file included). These powders were cold pressed and sintered and the composite materials were obtained. The microstructure of the composites was studied using scanning electron microscopy (one image file included).Further analysis were restricted to the composites obtained from powders grinded at the total concentration of the ceramic particles 12 wt.%. Their chemical composition was studied using energy-dispersive spectroscopy (one image file included) and the porosity was determined from the SEM images (40 image files included). The corrosion studies were conducted in 3.5 wt.% NaCl aqueous solution at 30 Celcius degree. They included determination of the open circuit potential (4 data files included), cyclic voltammograms in the vicinity of the corrosion potential (4 data files) and anodic polarisation curves (4 data files). Specimens after corrosion at the open circuit potential and after anodic polarisation were investigated using scanning electron microscope (2 image files included).These results demonstrated that high energy milling can be used in the recycling of aluminium alloy scrap characterised by a high surface-to-volume ratio, and also that chemical removal of the oxide layer from chips is not necessary.