Journal of Materials Science Research and Reviews
8(3): 24-33, 2021; Article no.JMSRR.70832
Comparative Study of Effects of Ado-Ekiti Moulding
Sands on Some Metal Castings
A. J. Abegunde1*, P. O. Ajewole2 and I. O. Oni2
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.
2
Department of Agricultural - Bio Environmental Engineering, The Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti,
Nigeria.
Authors’ contributions
This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. All authors read and approved the final
manuscript.
Article Information
Editor(s):
(1) Prof. Yong X. Gan, California State Polytechnic University, USA.
Reviewers:
(1) Anshuman Srivastava, Shambhunath Institute of Engineering and Technology, India.
(2) Manojkumar Vitthalbhai Sheladiya, Atmiya University, India.
Complete Peer review History: https://www.sdiarticle4.com/review-history/70832
Received 14 June 2021
Original Research Article Accepted 18 August 2021
Published 20 August 2021
ABSTRACT
Ado-Ekiti is known for abundance of moulding sands used for building, construction and foundry
works. The effects of moulding sands on some metal castings was studied in this work. Four sand
samples were taken from four river locations (Oke-Ureje, Omisanjanna, Odo-Ayo, and Ogbese) at
Ado-Ekiti. These samples were employed as moulding material to construct moulds for the
production of aluminum alloy castings. The materials were characterized and investigated to
determine the effects they would have on the mechanical properties and microstructures of the
castings. Even though the samples produced close value results, they all within the range of
standard values for foundry operations. Oke-Ureje sand gives the highest values of yield strength,
2 2 2
ultimate strength and Young Modulus of 105.74 N/mm , 125.26 N/mm and 352.47 N/mm
respectively.
Keywords: Sand; moulding; aluminum; mechanica; casting.
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Abegunde etal.; JMSRR, 8(3): 24-33, 2021; Article no.JMSRR.70832
1. INTRODUCTION without any evidence or trace of determining the
mechanical properties or carrying-out any effect
Foundry is the process of producing metal of sand on the casting components. This
components of desired shapes by pouring the research presents the moulding sands from four
molten casting material into a prepared mould rivers in Ado-Ekiti, South Western, Nigeria and
and then allowing it to cool and solidify [1]. The influence of the sand on the mechanical
mould can either be sand or die in nature. Sand properties of the components produced from the
mould is broken and die mould is taken apart to moulding sand.
remove the castings. Sand casting method is one
of the manufacturing processes in foundry 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
technology whereby foundry sand is used to
produce a mould in which molten metal is poured 2.1 Study Area of the Research and
to produce a cast. Foundry sand is a vital Collection of the River Sands
material used in the foundry industries. It often
determines the quality of castings when good Ado-Ekiti is the study area selected for this
control of other factors is ensured [2]. investigation. It is located in Ekiti State of Nigeria;
0 0
situated in between longitude 5 11’ and 5 25’
0 0
Raw Material Research and Development and latitude 7 11’and 7 37’ [7] as shown in
Council (RMRDC) in 1990 delved into geological Figure 1. The sand samples for the experimental
survey of Nigeria resources and found sand as work were collected from four different major
one the major mineral deposits in the country. locations in Ado Ekiti metropolis:
Sand covered an estimated proven reserve of Sample A – Oke Ureje river bank’s sand along
billions of tones of mineral resources; out of The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti road
which petroleum, gas and coal resources Sample B - Omisanjanna river bank’s sand along
exploration had only received sufficient attention 132KV area Ado Ekiti
[3,4]. One of the best-known applications of sand Sample C – Odo-ayo river bank’s sand at Bawa
in the olden days was in the manufacture of Estate along Iworoko road Ado Ekiti
some articles such as pottery and statutes, Sample D - Ogbese river bank’s sand along Ijan
dating back to the ‘NOK’ culture of eighteenth road, Ado Ekiti
century, particularly in Benin City in Nigeria.
Nwajagu [2] narrated the story of the Assyrian 2.2 Properties of the Sand Samples
King Sennacherib (704 – 681 B.C) who cast
massive bronzes of up to 30 tons, and claimed to The physical and mechanical properties of the
have used clay moulds rather than the ‘lost–wax’ sand samples had been obtained from a
method. Atanda and Ibitoye [5] revealed that previous characterization study conducted by
almost all foundry industries in Nigeria using the one of the authors in Abegunde et al [8]. Table 1
sand casting technique imported 60% of the shows the properties of the sand obtained from
sand used. the study:
Sand nowadays is used to cast components that 2.3 Preparation of Moulds for Aluminum
have useful strengths for construction. Shuaib- Casting
Babata and Olumodeji [6] submitted that the
The sands samples used in analysis were made
strength of castings rest on the fundamental
into moulds (Fig. 2). The sand samples were
behaviour of the foundry sand among other
thoroughly turned and mixed to achieve
parameters that was basically used in casting the
homogeneity for the construction of the moulds.
component. It is therefore clearly
understood that foundry sand occupies a 2.4 Determination of Tensile Strength of Cast
special and non-substitute position in the Aluminum
foundry industry which has to be properly
maintained and put into consideration before Test pieces were machined from the castings
being used. produced in this study. The work piece was
machined on the lathe machine in order to
It was discovered that foundry sands were produce a round test piece, with the center
abundantly available and scattered all over the turned down to a reduced diameter to provide for
towns and villages in the country which had been a 2-inch gauge length. The specification is shown
in use for past decades for casting of aluminum in Figure 3 and process of production is shown in
cooking utensils, decorative ornament and others Fig. 4.
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Abegunde etal.; JMSRR, 8(3): 24-33, 2021; Article no.JMSRR.70832
Fig. 1. Map of Nigeria showing Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State (Ayodele and Fakolade, 2014)
Table 1. Physical and Chemical Properties of the Sand Samples
Sand Bulk Flowa Permeabi Dry Gree Dry Green Clay
Samples Densi bility lity Shatte n Compress Compres Conten
ty (%) (cm3/min) r Shat ive sive t
(g/cm Index ter Strength Strength
3
) Inde (kN/m2) (kN/m2)
x
Oke-Ureje 12.25 61.25 67.52 0.66 0.84 97.6 58.8 13
Omisanjana 12.04 62.5 66.2 0.51 0.78 94.5 55.8 12
Odo-Ayo 12.23 61.87 61.87 0.61 0.73 91.8 54.1 10
Ogbese 11.9 61.25 61.25 0.59 0.89 82.9 44.4 6
Standard 9.7- 50-68 50-68 0.46- 0.69- 80-100 25-60 8.5-
Value 13.4 0.68 0.89 13.4
(a) Placing of pattern (b) Filling & ramming of mould (c) Top filling of the drag
26
Abegunde etal.; JMSRR, 8(3): 24-33, 2021; Article no.JMSRR.70832
(d) Placing of cope over drag (e)Removing of runners & riser (f) Venting of the mould
(g) Opening of mould to (h) Dressing & gating (i) Covering of the mould
remove the patterns the mould. & ready for casting.
Fig. 2. Mould Preparation for casting
Fig. 3. Test-Piece Specification
27
Abegunde etal.; JMSRR, 8(3): 24-33, 2021; Article no.JMSRR.70832
Fig. 4. Production of Tensile Specimens on Lathe Machine
Fig. 5. Tensile Test on Tensometer
Fig. 6. Specimens for Hardness Test & Tensometer Fittings
A universal testing machine (UTM) determined from the load-extension relationship
and a tensometer (Fig. 5) were used to obtained from the tensometer and the
determine the yield strength and the engineering stress-strain relationship obtained from the
ultimate strength of the sample. The yield UTS.
strength and ultimate strength were
28
Abegunde etal.; JMSRR, 8(3): 24-33, 2021; Article no.JMSRR.70832
2.5 Determination of the Hardness of was carried out on the specimens in accordance
Cast Aluminum with Dibiezue (1997) using 2% of trioxonitrate (v)
acid as an etchant and viewed with metallurgical
The hardness test was done with the aid of microscope of X50 magnification.
Brinell hardness tester on each of the four.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
samples. The surfaces of the machined
specimens were ground to remove the skin or 3.1 The Chemical Composition (wt. %) of
scale present on them. A hardened steel the Cast Aluminum Alloy
ball was pressed for a time of 10 to 15
The chemical composition (wt. %) of the
seconds into the surface of the material by
Aluminum alloy cast is as shown in the Table 2.
a standard force using tensometer machine
(Fig. 6). After the load and ball have 3.2 Tensile Test Results for Untreated
been removed, the diameter of the indentation
Cast Aluminum Alloy
is measured. The Brinell hardness
number, signified by HB, is obtained
The load-extension relationship obtained from
by dividing the size of the applied
the tensile test are shown Figures 7-14. The test
force by the surface area of the spherical
result from the UTM (Table 3) also showed that
indentation.
the castings produced from Ado-Ekiti foundry
sands had the following average
2.6 Microscopic Structure of Cast values of engineering properties: ultimate t
Aluminum ensile strength (UTS) 125.3N/mm2, strain values
2
0.3, proof stress 20.7N/mm , fracture strength
The macro - examination was done with the
83.35N and extension at fracture 12.66mm.
naked eyes while the microstructure examination
Table 2. The chemical composition (wt. %) of the Aluminum alloy cast
Constituent Si Cu Fe Zn Mn Mg Ni Ti Pb Al
Specimen(%) 9.83 2.99 0.98 1.11 0.19 0.04 0.064 0.052 0.19 84.6
Standard (%) 9.82 2.97 0.95 1.33 0.25 0.06 0.072 0.081 0.016 84.5
Fig. 8. Stress versus Strain for
Fig. 7. Load versus Extension for Oke ureje specimen (A1)
Oke ureje specimen (A1)
Fig. 9. Load versus extension for Fig. 10. Stress versus Strain for Omisanjanna
Omisanjanna specimen (A2) specimen (A2)
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Abegunde etal.; JMSRR, 8(3): 24-33, 2021; Article no.JMSRR.70832
Fig. 11. Load versus extension for Odo-ayo Fig. 12. Stress versus strain for Odo-ayo
specimen (A3) specimen (A3)
Fig. 13. Load versus extension for Ogbese Fig. 14. Stress versus Strain for Ogbese (A4)
(A4)
Table 3. The Strength value of the cast Aluminums
Moulding Yield Ultimate Tensile Fracture Fracture Young
Sand Strength Strength Stress Strain Modulus
(N/mm2) (N/mm2) (N/mm2) (N/mm2)
Oke ureje 105.74 125.26 83.38 0.3 352.47
Omisanjanna 103.90 125.20 83.38 0.3 346.33
Odo-Ayo 103.69 125.20 83.38 0.3 350.90
Ogbese 103.67 125.20 83.38 0.3 345.57
Standard 100 -150 122.6 80-120 0.25-0.42 200-400
Table 4. Hardness Test Result of untreated-Cast Aluminum
Aluminum sample READING READING 2 READING 3 AVERAGE Source
2 2 2 2
1 (KN/mm ) (KN/mm ) (KN/mm ) (KN/mm )
Oke ureje 120.9 128.0 102.0 116.9
Omisanjanna 91.60 100.6 113.6 101.9
Odo-ayo 114.6 107.1 120.7 114.1
Ogbese 119.0 121.9 127.8 122.9
Standard value 97-135 NMDC
DWELL TIME: 10 sec TEST LOAD: 980.7mm
30
Abegunde etal.; JMSRR, 8(3): 24-33, 2021; Article no.JMSRR.70832
Fig. 15. Hardness Values of untreated-Cast Aluminums
Fig. 16. Microscopic Structure of cast Aluminum (Choi et al, 2011)
Oke ureje 100 Omisanjanna 100 Odo-ayo 100 Ogbese 100
Fig. 17. Microscopic structure of cast Aluminums
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Abegunde etal.; JMSRR, 8(3): 24-33, 2021; Article no.JMSRR.70832
3.3 Hardness Test Result of Untreated- of the castings that were examined in terms of
Cast Aluminum strength and hardness fall within the standard
values, though Oke-Ureje sand gives the highest
The hardness strengths of the cast Aluminum values of yield strength, ultimate strength and
alloys produced are 116.90KN/mm2 for Oke Young Modulus of 105.74 N/mm2, 125.26
2 2 2
ureje, 101.90 KN/mm for Omisanjanna, 114.1 N/mm and 352.47 N/mm respectively. The
KN/mm for Odo-ayo and 122.9 KN/mm2 for
2 micrographs of the microstructures of the
Ogbese (Table 4). These values are found to be castings were also visually inspected and they
favorably compared with the standard value of had similar structure with the standard Aluminum
Aluminum cast by the standard natural sand. casting.
The chat for the hardness is represented in figure
16. COMPETING INTERESTS
3.4 Microscopic Structure of Cast Authors have declared that no competing
interests exist.
Aluminums alloy from sand
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