Agboeze N. A.’s scientific contributions

This study aims to evaluate the mechanical behavior of Aluminum-Copper-Magnesium Alloy signifying the effect of adding magnesium to an alloy of Al-Cu to determine its potential for engineering applications. The research involved a series of processes, including melting the materials using a crucible furnace, followed by casting, machining, heat treatment, and subsequent testing. Five samples of the alloy were produced, with one serving as the control sample (96wt% Al + 4wt% Cu), and the remaining samples containing increasing percentages of magnesium ranging from 0.5wt% to 2wt%. Various mechanical tests, such as hardness, impact, flexural, and tensile tests, were conducted, along with microstructural analysis. The result revealed that adding magnesium to the base alloy (96wt% Al-4wt% Cu) increased the hardness of the aluminum alloy as the magnesium content increased. Additionally, the resistance to flexural force also demonstrated an upward trend with increasing magnesium content, up to 2wt%. However, analysis of the fracture surface indicated a decrease in ductility as the magnesium percentage increased. Furthermore, the material exhibited improved tensile strength, reaching its peak of 176.84N/mm 2 at 2wt% Mg while the lowest of 79.578N/mm² and 123.79N/mm² at 0wt% Mg (control) and 0.5wt%Mg respectively. Microstructural analysis unveiled that at 2wt% magnesium, the precipitation of magnesium occurred along the grain boundaries, forming flakes. Conversely, magnesium was uniformly distributed within the grains at lower magnesium percentages. These findings suggest that the addition of magnesium to Al-Cu alloy will greatly increase mechanical properties like hardness, tensile strength, and resistance to flexural force while decreasing ductility. The fractured surface in line with the microstructural analysis gives insight into mechanical failure and root cause through the composition and diffusion. Thus, magnesium proves positive for strength addition in Al-Cu alloy which is potentially can mitigate creeping-related issues. INTRODUCTION Materials selection plays a crucial role in engineering, surpassing the significance of the final product. Understanding the behavior of materials is imperative for their successful application. This study focuses on investigating the mechanical properties of an aluminum-copper-magnesium alloy for potential application in the automobile industry, castings, structural engineering, and high-strength, low-weight applications. While aluminum is widely available and possesses desirable characteristics such as ductility, malleability, corrosion resistance, and good thermal and electrical conductivity, it is often inadequate for certain structural and engineering applications. Therefore, it is essential to examine the behavior of aluminum alloys.