TAILORED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF ALUMINUM-BASED FUNCTIONALLY GRADED CERAMICS COMPOSITES USING VANADIUM CARBIDE AND GRAPHITE REINFORCEMENTS

The study involved the production of Functionally Graded Ceramics (FGCs) using aluminum as the base material and reinforcing it with vanadium carbide (VC) and graphite (G). The research focused on examining the mechanical properties of these FGCs.Adding VC and G significantly improved the compressive strength, bulk modulus, and shear modulus of the FGM composites compared to pure aluminum. The highest compressive strength was achieved with a combination of 5% VC and 10% VC. The increase in bulk and shear modulus is attributed to the presence of VC and G particles, which act as reinforcing phases to disrupt the aluminum matrixs slip planes and increase the composites load-bearing capacity. These results indicate that FGMs with customized compositions have the potential to serve as promising materials for various engineering applications.