Eco-Friendly Extraction of Nano-Activated Carbon as A Potent Reinforcement For Al7075 Alloy, A Mechanical And Wear Analysis: Promote A Sustainable Environment

This study aims to find an ecological and high-performance solution to produce high-performance Al7075 matrix nanocomposites with the use of bio-sourced reinforcements. A major achievement in this study is that agricultural biomass (cotton carpel) was converted into high-grade Nano-Activated Carbon (NAC) using a controlled thermochemical heating process, hence providing an ecological option for synthetic carbon-based materials. The synthesized NAC particles were incorporated into the aluminum matrix at 3 different weight fractions (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 wt.%) using the stir casting technique, and their microstructure and mechanical properties were evaluated using Vickers microhardness and wear testing under 3 different load settings (5N, 10N, and 15N). Results showed that the addition of NAC acted as a strong strengthening agent and resulted in an increase in microhardness of the 0.3 wt.% NAC composite from 130 HV for the base alloy to 164 HV. This mechanical enhancement can be explained by a wear-strengthening mechanism, where the uniform distribution of NACs hinders dislocation movement. The results of the tribological tests showed that the 0.3 wt.% NAC composite had a maximum 90.72% higher wear resistance when compared to the base alloy at 15N. The optical micrographs of the wear surfaces show that the cast alloy had severe delamination and abrasive plowing, but with the arrival of the nanocomposites, there was a smooth, or protected, surface due to the formation of a stable tribological layer. This result validates that nanocarbons made from recycled resources provide significant performance advantages over nanocarbons derived from traditional (synthetic) sources in their utility as reinforcement materials for the construction and production of advanced metallic composite materials. These materials provide a sustainable engineering alternative that offers both low-density constructions along with superior strength and durability (ability to withstand wear) properties and are, therefore, well suited for use in industrial applications requiring large quantities of materials subjected to very high levels of repeated fatigue loading.\r\n\r\n