Utilization Of Beverage Cans Waste As A Metal Matrix Composite

Waste of beverage cans has not been utilized properly so far and it tends to cause environmental _pollution. Thus, the efforts are required to utilize the waste material from these cans into useful or advance product. Currently, there are many technological advancement applications requiring such components that have mild but good in mechanical properties. This work tries to the utilize the soft drink beverage cans waste as a main raw material. By utilizing the heat at temperatures above recrystallization accompanied by nitrogen infiltration to inhibit porosity, followed by the addition of magnesium as a wetting agent. The combination of those materials will facilitate in improving the produced mechanical properties. The utilization of beverage cans as a metal matrix composites is expected to be able to maintain environmental balance, because it cannot be naturally degraded . In this work, the beverage cans serve as a matrix, the alumina (Al₂O₃) of 10-20 vol.% used as reinforcement, and magnesium (Mg) of 14-16 % of weight percent as a wetting agent. The result shows that the composition combination of 20 vol.% of weight percent Al₂O₃ and 14 vol.% of weight percent Mg produces the highest mechanical properties and evenly distributed constituent. Thus, the_waste of beverage cans based on aluminum AA3104 is highly recommended to be used as a matrix combined with reinforcement of Al₂O₃ and wetting agent of Mg. It is proposed that by using beverage cans waste as metal matrix composite (MMC),the land pollution can be reduced and environmental balance can be enhanced properly. (paper)