LAUSR

The present study aims at investigating the effect of granite particle size on the properties of Al-7%Si-0.3%Mg/granite particulate composites. The composites were fabricated with two different size fractions of granite (− 38 + 0.5 μm and − 0.5 μm). Al-Si-Mg/granite particulate composites were produced using stir casting method with varying amount of granite particles from 0 to 12 wt% at 3 wt% intervals. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis on the granite particulates as well as determination of density and mechanical properties were conducted. The results showed that density of Al-Si-Mg/granite particulate reinforced composites decreased considerably with particles loading. The results further revealed that with increase in granite particulates, a considerable rise in hardness accompanied with a significant decrease in tensile and impact strengths except at 3 wt% addition is achieved. The microstructural analyzes of the produced composites were studied using optical microscope (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Noticeably, in the micrographs and images obtained, Mg2Si and eutectic Si in α-Al matrix with granite particulates were observed.