Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Multiscale SiC_p Hybrid Reinforced 6061 Aluminum Matrix Composites

The performance of solid solution aging treatment on aluminum matrix composites prepared by powder metallurgy and reinforced with 6061 aluminum alloy powder as matrix;meanwhile, nano silicon carbide particles(nm Si Cp), submicron silicon carbide particles(1 μm Si Cp) and Ti particles were studied. The Al/Si Cp composite powder was prepared by high-energy ball milling, and then cold-pressed, sintered, hotextruded, and then heat-treated with different solution temperatures and aging times for the extruded composites. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS), X-ray diffractometer(XRD) and extrusion testing were used to analyze and test the microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminum matrix composites. The results show that after the multi-stage solid solution at 530 ℃×2 h+535 ℃×2 h+540 ℃×2 h, the particles are mainly equiaxed grains and uniformly distributed. There is no reinforcement agglomeration, and the surface is dense and the insoluble phase is basically dissolved. In the matrix, the strengthening effect is good, and the hardness and compressive strength are 179.43 HV and 680.42 MPa, respectively. Under this solution process, when the aluminum matrix composites are aged at 170 ℃ for 10 h, the hardness and compressive strength can reach their peaks and increase to 195.82 HV and 721.48 MPa, respectively.

Microstructure of aluminum/copper clad composite fabricated by casting-cold extrusion forming

An aluminum/copper clad composite was fabricated by the casting-cold extrusion forming technology and the microstructures of the products were observed and analyzed.It is found that aluminum grains at the interface are refined in the radial profiles of cone-shaped deformation zone,but the grains in the center maintain the original state and the grain size is non-uniform.A clear boundary presents between the refined area and center area.In contrast,the copper grains in the radial profiles have been significantly refined.In the center area of the copper,the grains are bigger than those at the boundary.On the surface of the deformable body,the grain size is the smallest,but with irregular grain morphology.After the product is entirely extruded,all the copper and aluminum grains are refined with small and uniform morphology.In the center area,the average diameter of aluminum grains is smaller than 5 μm,and the copper grain on the surface is about 10 μm.At the interface,the grain size is very small,with a good combination of copper and aluminum.The thickness of interface is in the range of 10-15 μm.Energy spectrum analysis shows that CuAl3 phase presents at the interface.

Cu-Al interfacial compounds and formation mechanism of copper cladding aluminum composites

Copper cladding aluminum(CCA)rods with the section dimensions of12mm in diameter and2mm in sheath thickness were fabricated by vertical core-filling continuous casting(VCFC)technology.The kinds and morphology of interfacial intermetallic compounds(IMCs)were investigated by SEM,XRD and TEM.The results showed that the interfacial structure of Cu/Al was mainly composed of layeredγ1(Cu9Al4),cellularθ(CuAl2),andα(Al)+θ(CuAl2)phases.Moreover,residual acicularε2(Cu3Al2+x)phase was observed at the Cu/Al interface.By comparing the driving force of formation forε2(Cu3Al2+x)andγ1(Cu9Al4)phases,the conclusion was drawn that theε2(Cu3Al2+x)formed firstly at the Cu/Al interface.In addition,the interfacial formation mechanism of copper cladding aluminum composites was revealed completely.

Tribological Behavior of Copper Chilled Aluminum Alloy (LM-13) Reinforced with Beryl Metal Matrix Composites

The present investigation aims at developing copper chilled aluminum alloy (LM-13) reinforced with beryl using stir casting method. Matrix alloy was melted in a composite making furnace to a temperature of about 700°C to which preheated reinforcement particles was added (3 wt.% to 12 wt.% in steps of 3 wt.%), stirred well and finally poured in to an AFS standard mold containing copper end chills of different thickness (10, 15, 20 and 25 mm) placed judiciously for directional solidification. The resulting chilled composites were subjected to microstructural, XRD, mechanical properties (strength and hardness) and tribological behavior.Results of the microstructural and XRD analysis indicate that the chilled castings were sound with good distribution and presence of all the particles. The bonding between beryl reinforcement and Al alloy matrix (LM-13) leads to excellent isotropic properties without?any shrinkage or microporosity. Mechanical characterization indicates that both strength and hardness were maximum in the case of copper chilled MMC containing 9 wt.% and 12 wt.% reinforcement respectively. Strength and hardness of chilled MMC are found to increase by 9.88% and 16.66% as compared against the matrix alloy. It is observed that because of the ceramic (beryl) reinforcement in aluminum alloy, the wear resistance of the chilled composite developed has increased with increase in reinforcement content. At lower load, chilled MMCs exhibited mild wear regime with high coefficient of friction and at higher loads they exhibited severe wear with better wear resistance compared to un-chilled composite. It is observed that the increase in mechanical properties and wear resistance are due to incorporation of beryl reinforcement, the effect of chilling that has resulted in grain refined microstructure with good bonding of the matrix and the reinforcement.

Direct-chill semi-continuous casting process of three-layer composite ingot of 4045/3004/4045 aluminum alloys

Three-layer composite ingot of 4045/3004/4045 aluminum alloys was prepared by direct-chill semi-continuous casting process,the temperature field distribution near the composite interface,macro-morphology,microstructure and composition distribution of the composite interface were investigated.The results show that semi-solid layer with a certain thickness forms near the interface due to the effect of cooling plate,which ensures successful implementation of casting the composite ingot.Two different aluminum alloys are well bonded metallurgically.The mechanical properties of composite interface were measured,the tensile and shearing strengths of composite interface are 105 and 88 MPa,respectively,which proves that the composite interface is a kind of metallurgical bonding.

Preparation and characterization of Ce-silane-ZrO_2 composite coatings on 1060 aluminum

In order to improve the property of traditional Ce-based conversion coatings, Ce-silane-ZrO2 composite coatings were successfully prepared on 1060 aluminum. The microstructure, chemical element composition and corrosion resistance of Ce-based conversion coatings and Ce-silane-ZrO2 composite coatings were investigated by SEM, AFM, XPS and EIS analyses. Stacking structure of the composite coating can be observed. The inner layer of the composite coatings mainly consists of oxide and hydroxide of Ce（Ⅲ）, and the silane network is composed of the outer layer together with a small amount of Ce（Ⅳ） hydroxide. By adding silane and ZrO2 nanoparticles into Ce-based conversion coatings, the porosity and the micro cracks of the coatings decrease apparently accompanying with the improvement of the corrosion resistance.

Fabrication of superaligned carbon nanotubes reinforced copper matrix laminar composite by electrodeposition

A new kind of laminar metal matrix nanocomposite（MMC） was fabricated by an electrodeposition process with copper and superaligned carbon nanotubes film（SACNT film）.The SACNT film was put on a titanium plate and then a layer of copper was electrodeposited on it.By repeating the above process,the laminar Cu/SACNT composite which contains dozens or hundreds of layers of copper and SACNT films was obtained.The thickness of a single copper layer was controlled by adjusting the process parameter easily and the thinnest layer is less than 2 μm.The microscopic observation shows that the directional alignment structure of SACNT is retained in the composite perfectly.The mechanical and electrical properties testing results show that the tensile and yield strengths of composites are improved obviously compared with those of pure copper,and the high conductivity is retained.This technology is a potential method to make applicable MMC which characterizes high volume fraction and directional alignment of carbon nanotubes.

In-situ homogeneous synthesis of carbon nanotubes on aluminum matrix and properties of their composites

Using nickel catalyst supported on aluminum powders, carbon nanotubes （CNTs） were successfully synthesized in aluminum powders by in-situ chemical vapor deposition at 650 ℃. Structural characterization revealed that the as-grown CNTs possessed higher graphitization degree and straight graphite shell. By this approach, more homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in aluminum powders was achieved compared with the traditional mechanical mixture methods. Using the in-situ synthesized CNTs/Al composite powders and powder metallurgy process, CNTs/Al bulk composites were prepared. Performance testing showed that the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of the composites were improved obviously, which was attributed to the superior dispersion of CNTs in aluminum matrix and the strong interfacial bonding between CNTs and matrix.

Three-point bending performance of a new aluminum foam composite structure

A new composite structure based on aluminum foam sandwich and fiber metal laminate was proposed. A layer of glass fiber was provided at the interface between the metal panel and the aluminum foam core in this composite structure, using adhesive technology to bond the materials together by organic glue in the sequence of metal panel, glass fiber, aluminum foam core, glass fiber and metal panel. The experimental results show that the new composite structure has an improved comprehensive performance compared with the traditional aluminum foam sandwiches. The optimized parameters for the fabrication of the new aluminum foam composite structure with best bending strength were obtained. The epoxy resin and low porosity aluminum foams are preferred, the thickness of aluminum sheets should be at least 1.5 mm, and the type of glass fiber has little effect on the bending strength. The main failure modes of the new composite structures with two types of glues were discussed.

Fractal analysis of fracture surfaces in aluminum borate whisker-reinforced aluminum alloy 6061 composite

The effect of interface reaction on the fractal dimensions of fracture surface in aluminum borate whisker-reinforced aluminum alloy 6061 composite was investigated. The composite was fabricated by squeeze-casting technique. The fracture surfaces created in tensile test were measured by vertical sectioning method. Fractal phenomena were found in two plots, in which the measuring units were from 3 to 15 μm and 1 to 5 μm, respectively. The relation was established between the tensile properties and fractal dimension with measuring units of 3-15 μm. The results show that the ultimate tensile strength increases while the fracture surface roughness increases with fractal dimension increasing due to the change in fracture mode depending on the degree of interface reaction status induced by heat treatment. But when the measuring units are 1-5 μm, fractal dimension does not change with heat treatment.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of twin-wire arc sprayed Ni-Al composite coatings on 6061-T6 aluminum alloy sheet

We have systematically studied the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ni-5wt%Al and Ni-20wt%Al composite coat- ings fabricated on 6061-T6 aluminum alloy sheet by twin-wire arc spraying under different experimental conditions. The abrasive wear be- havior and interface diffusion behavior of the composite coatings were evaluated by dry/wet rubber wheel abrasive wear tests and heat treat- ment, respectively. Experimental results indicate that the composite coatings exhibit features of adhesive wear. Besides, the Vickers micro- hardness of NiA1 and Ni3AI intermetallic compounds is relatively larger than that of the substrate, which is beneficial for enhancing the wear resistance. With the increase of annealing temperature and time, the interface diffusion area between the Ni-Al coating and the substrate gradually expands with the formation of NiAl3 and Ni2Al3 phases, and is controlled by diffusion of aluminum atoms. The grain growth ex- ponent n of diffusion kinetics of the Ni-Al coating, calculated via a high-temperature diffusion model at 400, 480, and 550℃, is between 0.28 and 0.38. This satisfies the cubic law, which is consistent with the general theoretical relationship of high-temperature diffusion.

A review of particulate-reinforced aluminum matrix composites fabricated by selective laser melting

Selective laser melting(SLM)is an emerging layer-wise additive manufacturing technique that can generate complex components with high performance.Particulate-reinforced aluminum matrix composites(PAMCs)are important materials for various applications due to the combined properties of Al matrix and reinforcements.Considering the advantages of SLM technology and PAMCs,the novel SLM PAMCs have been developed and researched in recent years.Therefore,the current research progress about the SLM PAMCs is reviewed.Firstly,special attention is paid to the solidification behavior of SLM PAMCs.Secondly,the important issues about the design and fabrication of high-performance SLM PAMCs,including the selection of reinforcement,the influence of parameters on the processing and microstructure,the defect evolution and phase control,are highlighted and discussed comprehensively.Thirdly,the performance and strengthening mechanism of SLM PAMCs are systematically figured out.Finally,future directions are pointed out on the advancement of high-performance SLM PAMCs.

Wear performance of in-situ aluminum matrix composite after micro-arc oxidation

An attempt was made to modify the surface of in-situ aluminium matrix composite （AMC） by micro-arc oxidation （MAO）. In the microstructure of AMC, CuAl2 reinforcements were generated by introducing 15% CuO into the aluminium melt. AMC was hot forged, homogenised, quenched and artificially aged before the MAO in a KOH, KF and Na2SiO3-containing electrolyte. After the MAO process the surface of the AMC was covered with Al2O3 coating having an effective thickness of about 15μm. Appearance of crack and/or delamination free zones at the periphery of the indent after the Rockwell C adhesion test indicated good adhesion between the composite and the Al2O3 coating. During dry sliding wear tests, this adherent Al2O3coating resisted the destructive action of the Al2O3 ball and provided about 15 times enhancement in wear resistance as compared to the original state.

On the liquid-phase technology of carbon fiber/aluminum matrix composites

The main problems with the liquid-phase technology of carbon fiber/aluminum matrix composites include poor wetting of the fiber with liquid aluminum and formation of aluminum carbide on the fibers’surface.This paper aims to solve these problems.The theoretical and experimental dependence of porosity on the applied pressure were determined.The possibility of obtaining a carbon fiber/aluminum matrix composite wire with a strength value of about 1500 MPa was shown.The correlation among the strength of the carbon fiber reinforced aluminum matrix composite,the fracture surface,and the degradation of the carbon fiber surface was discussed.

Review of recent trends in friction stir welding process of aluminum alloys and aluminum metal matrix composites

Welding is a vital component of several industries such as automotive,aerospace,robotics,and construction.Without welding,these industries utilize aluminum alloys for the manufacturing of many components or systems.However,fusion welding of aluminum alloys is challenging due to several factors,including the presence of non-heat-treatable alloys,porosity,solidification,and liquation of cracks.Many manufacturers adopt conventional in-air friction stir welding(FSW)to weld metallic alloys and dissimilar materials.Many researchers reported the drawbacks of this traditional in-air FSW technique in welding metallic and polymeric materials in general and aluminum alloys and aluminum matrix composites in specific.A number of FSW techniques were developed recently,such as underwater friction stir welding(UFSW),vibrational friction-stir welding(VFSW),and others,for welding of aluminum alloy joints to overcome the issues of welding using conventional FSW.Therefore,the main objective of this review is to summarize the recent trends in FSW process of aluminum alloys and aluminum metal matrix composites(Al MMCs).Also,it discusses the effect of welding parameters of the traditional and state-of-the-art developed FSW techniques on the welding quality and strength of aluminum alloys and Al MMCs.Comparison among the techniques and advantages and limitations of each are considered.The review suggests that VFSW is a viable option for welding aluminum joints due to its energy efficiency,economic cost,and versatile modifications that can be employed based on the application.This review also illustrated that significantly less attention has been paid to FSW of Al-MMCs and considerable attention is demanded to produce qualified joint.

In-situ fabrication of particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composites under high-frequency pulsed electromagnetic field

Pulsed magnetic field is generated when imposing pulse signal on high-frequency magnetic field. Distribution of the inner magnetic intensity in induction coils tends to be uniform. Furthermore oscillation and disturbance phenomena appear in the melt. In. situ Al2O3 and Al3Zr particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composites have been synthesized by direct melt reaction using AlZr（CO3）2 components under a foreign field. The size of reinforced particulates is 2-3 μm. They are well distributed in the matrix. Thermodynamic and kinetic analysis show that high-frequency pulsed magnetic field accelerates heat and mass transfer processes and improves the kinetic condition of in-situ fabrication.

Microstructural and abrasive wear properties of SiC reinforced aluminum-based composite produced by compocasting

The effect of SiC particles reinforcement with average size of 1, 5, 20 and 50 μm and volume fraction of 5%, 10% and 15% on the microstructure and tribological properties of Al-based composite was investigated. Composites were produced by applying compocasting process. Tribological properties of the unreinforced alloy and composites were studied using pin-on-disc wear tester, under dry sliding conditions at different specific loads. The influence of secondary mechanical processing with different rolling reductions on the dry sliding wear characteristics of Al matrix composites was also assessed. Hardness measurement and scanning electron microscopy were used for microstructural characterization and investigation of worn surfaces and wear debris. The proper selection of process parameter such as pouring temperature, stirring speed, stirring time, pre-heated temperature of reinforcement can all influence the quality of the fabricated composites. The porosity level of composite should be minimized and the chemical reaction between the reinforcement and matrix should be avoided.

Fabrication and thermal conductivity of copper matrix composites reinforced by tungsten-coated carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes （CNTs） were coated by tungsten using metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Magnetic stirring was employed to disperse the W-coated CNTs （W-CNTs） in a Cu matrix, and then, the mixed powders were consolidated by spark plasma sintering. The W-CNTs obtained a uniform dispersion within the Cu matrix when the W-CNT content was less than 5.0vo1%, but high content of W-CNTs （10vol%） resulted in the presence of clusters. The W-CNT/Cu composites containing low content of W-CNTs （〈5.0vol%） exhibited a higher thermal conductivity than the sintered pure Cu, while the CNT/Cu composites exhibited no increase in thermal conductivity after the incorporation of uncoated CNTs. The W-CNT content was found to play a crucial role in determining the thermal conductivity of the W-CNT/Cu composites. The thermal conductivity of the W-CNT/Cu composites increased first and then decreased with the W-CNT content increasing. When the W-CNT content was 2.5vo1%, the W-CNT/Cu composite obtained the maximum value of thermal conductivity. The thermal resistance of the （W-CNT）-Cu interface was predicted in terms of Maxwell-Gamett effective medium approximation, and its calculated value was about 3.0× 10-9 m2.K.W-l.

High strain rate superplasticity of SiC whisker reinforced pure aluminum composites

A β SiC whisker reinforced pure aluminum composites expected to exhibit high strain rate superplasticity has been successfully fabricated by a new processing route consisting of pressure infiltration, extrusion with a low extrusion ratio and rolling. The composites exhibite a total elongation of 220%～380% in the initial strain rates within 1.0×10 -2 ～1.0×10 -1 s -1 and at 893～903 K. According to differential thermal analysis(DTA) and microstructure observation, it is concluded that an appropriately small amount of liquid phase is necessary to cause a good high strain rate superplasticity in aluminum matrix composites in addition to fine and uniform microstructure.

Effect of aluminum borate whisker coating on interface and mechanical properties of 6061Al matrix composites

Copper coating was deposited on the surface of aluminum borate whisker by an electroless plating method.This method was used to modify the interfacial property of squeeze-casting aluminum borate whisker reinforced 6061Al matrix composite.Interface observation indicates that the spinel reaction(MgAl2O4) is hindered by the copper coating,and the difference in interfacial reaction degree affects the tensile property and aging behavior of the composite.For the composite with less spinel reaction(MgAl2O4),its peak-aging process are postponed due to less depletion of magnesium.On the fracture surface of copper-coated composite dimples and fractures of whiskers are more,but on the fracture surface of uncoated composite pull-out of whiskers are more than that on the coated one.In uncoated composite the fracture generally originates from the near-interface-region.