Effect of Si content on microstructure and properties of Si/Al composites

Si/Al composites with different Si contents for electronic packaging were prepared by spark plasma sintering （SPS） technique. Properties of the composites were investigated, including density, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion and flexural strength. The effects of the Si content on microstructure and thermal and mechanical properties of the composites were studied. The results show that the Si/Al composites consist of Si and Al components and Al uniformly distributes among Si grains. The relative density of the Si/Al composites gradually increases with the decrease of Si content and reaches 98.0% when the Si content is 50%. The thermal conductivity, the coefficient of thermal expansion and the flexural strength of the composite all decrease with the increase of the Si content, and an optimal matching of them is obtained when the Si content is 60%（volume fraction）.

Effect of ultrasonic on morphology of primary Mg_2Si in in-situ Mg_2Si/Al composite

Effects of ultrasonic on morphologies of primary Mg2Si crystals in in-situ Mg2Si/A1 composite were investigated by metallographic microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the mean grain size of primary MgESi crystals is refined from 150 to 20 μm by high intensity ultrasonic, and the morphologies of primary MgESi crystals are changed as well. Optical microscopy reveals that primary MgESi crystals without ultrasonic vibration exhibit coarse particles with cavities, in which eutectic structures grow. However, primary Mg2Si crystals with ultrasonic vibration appear fine grains without any cavity. Three-dimensional morphologies of primary Mg2Si without ultrasonic vibration display octahedron and tetrakaidecahedron with hopper-like hole in the crystals. After ultrasonic vibration, primary Mg2Si particles become solid crystals with rounded comers and edges.

Effect of SiC particle addition on microstructure of Mg_2Si/Al composite

In the present study, by adding SiC particles into AI-Si-Mg melt, Mg2Si and SiC particles hybrid reinforced AI matrix composites were fabricated through the Mg2Si in situ synthesis in melt combined with the SiC ex situ stir casting. The as-cast microstructure containing primary Mg2Si and SiC particles that distribute homogenously in AI matrix was successfully achieved. The effects of SiC particle addition on the microstructure of Mg2Si/AI composites were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and XRD. The results show that, with increasing the fraction of the SiC particles from 5wt.% to 10wt.%, the morphologies of the primary Mg2Si particulates in the prepared samples remain polygonal, but the size of the primary phase decreases slightly. However, when the SiC particle addition reaches 15wt.%, the morphologies of the primary Mg2Si particulates change partially from polygonal to quadrangular with a decrease in size from 50 pm to 30 μm. The size of primary AI dendrites decreases with increasing fraction of the SiC particles from 0wt.% to 15wt.%. The morphology of the eutectic Mg2Si phase changes from a fiber-form to a short fiber-form and/or a dot-like shape with increasing fraction of the SiC particles. Furthermore, no significant change in dendrite arm spacing （DAS） was observed in the presence of SiC particles.

Properties of the Environmental-Friendly Si/Al Composite for Electronic Packages Fabricated by Squeeze Casting Technology

High reinforcement-content aluminum matrix composite,with a high thermal conductivity,the adjustable coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE),low density and costs,have been extensively applied in electronic package.The Sip/Al composites were fabricated by squeeze casting technology.The microstructure observation showed that the composites were dense and macroscopically homogeneous,with no micro-holes and obvious defects.The linear CTEs of Sip/Al composites lay between(7.6～8.1)×10^-6 ℃^-1,and the thermal conductivity was larger than 100 W/(m·℃).The composites also had lower density(2.4 g/cm^3),higher special strength and special modulus.The electroless nickel method was used to deposit a continuous and uniform layer on the composites surface,which can meet the reliability testing demands of the diodes with Sip/Al composite baseplate.

Microstructure evolution,mechanical properties and fracture behavior of Al-xSi/AZ91D bimetallic composites prepared by a compound casting

In this paper,the effect of the Si content on microstructure evolution,mechanical properties,and fracture behavior of the Al-xSi/AZ91D bimetallic composites prepared by compound casting was investigated systematically.The obtained results showed that all the Al-xSi/AZ91D bimetallic composites had a metallurgical reaction layer(MRL),whose thickness increased with increasing Si content for the hypoeutectic Al-Si/AZ91D composites,while the hypereutectic Al-Si/AZ91D composites were opposite.The MRL included eutectic layer(E layer),intermetallic compound layer(IMC layer)and transition region layer(T layer).In the IMC layer,the hypereutectic Al-Si/AZ91D composites contained some Si solid solution and flocculent Mg_(2)Si+Al-Mg IMCs phases not presented in the hypoeutectic Al-Si/AZ91D composites.Besides,increasing Si content,the thickness proportion of the T layer increased,forming an inconsistent preferred orientation of the MRL.The shear strengths of the Al-xSi/AZ91D bimetallic composites enhanced with increasing Si content,and the Al-15Si/AZ91D composite obtained a maximum shear strength of 58.6 MPa,which was 73.4% higher than the Al-6Si/AZ91D composite.The fractures of the Al-xSi/AZ91D bimetallic composites transformed from the T layer into the E layer with the increase of the Si content.The improvement of the shear strength of the Al-xSi/AZ91D bimetallic composites was attributed to the synergistic action of the Mg_(2)Si particle reinforcement,the reduction of oxidizing inclusions and the ratio of Al-Mg IMCs as well as the orientation change of the MRL.

Experimental Investigation of the Anisotropic Thermal Conductivity of C/SiC Composite Thin Slab

Fiber-reinforced composites possess anisotropic mechanical and heat transfer properties due to their anisotropic fibers and structure distribution.In C/Si C composites,the out-of-plane thermal conductivity has mainly been studied,whereas the in-plane thermal conductivity has received less attention due to their limited thickness.

Effect of Ni content on the wear behavior of Al-Si-Cu-Mg-Ni/SiC particles composites

In recent years,the addition of Ni has been widely acknowledged to be capable of enhancing the mechanical properties of Al-Si alloys.However,the effect of Ni on the wear behaviors of Al-Si alloys and Al matrix composites,particularly at elevated temperat-ures,remains an understudied area.In this study,Al-Si-Cu-Mg-Ni/20wt%SiC particles(SiCp)composites with varying Ni contents were prepared by using a semisolid stir casting method.The effect of Ni content on the dry sliding wear behavior of the prepared compos-ites was investigated through sliding tests at 25 and 350℃.Results indicated that theθ-Al_(2)Cu phase gradually diminished and eventually disappeared as the Ni content increased from 0wt%to 3wt%.This change was accompanied by the formation and increase inδ-Al_(3)CuNi andε-Al_(3)Ni phases in microstructures.The hardness and ultimate tensile strength of the as-cast composites improved,and the wear rates of the composites decreased from 5.29×10^(−4)to 1.94×10^(−4)mm^(3)/(N∙m)at 25℃and from 20.2×10^(−4)to 7×10^(−4)mm^(3)/(N∙m)at 350℃with the increase in Ni content from 0wt%to 2wt%.The enhancement in performance was due to the presence of strengthening network structures and additional Ni-containing phases in the composites.However,the wear rate of the 3Ni composite was approximately two times higher than that of the 2Ni composite due to the fracture and debonding of theε-Al_(3)Ni phase.Abrasive wear,delamination wear,and oxidation wear were the predominant wear mechanisms of the investigated composites at 25℃,whereas delamination wear and oxid-ation wear were dominant during sliding at 350℃.

Damping properties and mechanism of aluminum matrix composites reinforced with glass cenospheres

The damping properties were improved by preparing Al matrix composites reinforced with glass cenospheres through the pressure infiltration method.Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed to characterize the microstructure of the composites.The low-frequency damping properties were examined by using a dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer,aiming at exploring the changing trend of damping capacity with strain,temperature,and frequency.The findings demonstrated that the damping value rose as temperature and strain increased,with a maximum value of 0.15.Additionally,the damping value decreased when the frequency increased.Dislocation damping under strain and interfacial damping under temperature served as the two primary damping mechanisms.The increase in the density of dislocation strong pinning points following heat treatment reduced the damping value,which was attributed to the heat treatment enhancement of the interfacial bonding force of the composites.

Microstructure Regulation and Combustion Performance Optimization of PVDF/Al Composite Powder by Non-covalent Functionalized Graphenes

Graphene prepared by non-covalent modification of sulfonated poly(ether-ether-ketone)(SPG)was combined with polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF)/Al to improve the PVDF/Al thermal conductivity while reducing the effect of the thermal resistance at the graphene-polymer interface.The regulation rule of SPG with different contents on the energy release of fluorine-containing system was studied.When the content of SPG is 4%,the peak pressure and rise rate of SPG/PVDF/Al composite powder during ignition reach the maximum of 4845.28 kPa and 8683.58 kPa/s.When the content of SPG is 5%,the PVDF/Al composite powder is completely coated by SPG,and the calorific value of the material reachs the maximum of 29.094 kJ/g.Through the design and micro-control of the composite powder,the calorific value of the material can be effectively improved,but the improvement of the mass release rate still depends on the graphene content and surface modification state.

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.

Carbon Fiber Breakage Mechanism in Aluminum(Al)/Carbon Fibers(CFs) Composite Sheet during Accumulative Roll Bonding(ARB) Process

We put forward a method of fabricating Aluminum(Al)/carbon fibers(CFs) composite sheets by the accumulative roll bonding(ARB) method. The finished Al/CFs composite sheet has CFs and pure Al sheets as sandwich and surface layers. After cross-section observation of the Al/CFs composite sheet, we found that the CFs discretely distributed within the sandwich layer. Besides, the tensile test showed that the contribution of the sandwich CFs layer to tensile strength was less than 11% compared with annealed pure Al sheet. With ex-situ observation of the CFs breakage evolution with-16%,-32%, and-45% rolling reduction during the ARB process, the plastic instability of the Al layer was found to bring shear damages to the CFs. At last, the bridging strengthening mechanism introduced by CFs was sacrificed. We provide new insight into and instruction on Al/CFs composite sheet preparation method and processing parameters.

Microstructure,interfacial reaction behavior,and mechanical properties of Ti_(3)AlC_(2)reinforced Al6061 composites

The interfacial reaction behavior of Al and Ti_(3)AlC_(2)at different pouring temperatures and its effect on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated.The results show that the addition of3.0 wt.%Ti_(3)AlC_(2)refines the average grain size ofα(Al)in the composite by 50.1%compared to Al6061 alloy.Morphological analyses indicate that an in-situ Al_(3Ti)transition layer of-180 nm in thickness is generated around the edge of Ti_(3)AlC_(2)at 720℃,forming a well-bonded Al-Al_(3Ti)interface.At this processing temperature,the ultimate tensile strength of A16061-3.0 wt.%Ti_(3)AlC_(2)composite is 199.2 MPa,an improvement of 41.5%over the Al6061 matrix.Mechanism analyses further elucidate that 720℃is favourable for forming the nano-sized transition layer at the Ti_(3)AlC_(2)edges.And,the thermal mismatch strengthening plays a dominant role in this state,with a strengthening contribution of about 74.8%.

Morphological modification of Mg_(2)Si phase and strengthening mechanism in Mg_(2)Si/Al composites by Eu addition and T6 heat treatment

In order to improve mechanical properties of Mg_(2)Si/Al composites,Eu element was added to mod-ify Mg_(2)Si morphology,and T6 heat treatment was used to control Mg_(2)Si morphology and precipitate strengthening phase.Microstructure and morphology of Mg_(2)Si were observed by synchrotron X-ray to-mography and TEM,and first-principles calculations were also performed to testify the effect of Eu mod-ification.Results show that the size of primary Mg_(2)Si particles decreases and eutectic Mg_(2)Si phase trans-forms from lamellar to fibrous by Eu addition.After heat treatment,sharp angles of primary Mg_(2)Si par-ticles passivate,and eutectic Mg_(2)Si dissolves and appears to be short dot-like.Meanwhile,nano-sizedβ"phase precipitates in the matrix.For morphology of Mg_(2)Si with Eu modification,TEM results show that Eu impedes the growing of Mg_(2)Si,which is verified by first-principles calculations that Eu atom preferentially adsorbs on Mg_(2)Si{100}facet.The adsorption and suppression growing of Mg_(2)Si transform the morphology of Mg_(2)Si and thus improve the elongation.UTS and elongation of the heat-treated Eu modified composites are 281 MPa and 8.4%,which improved 81%and 200%compared to the as-cast Al-15%Mg_(2)Si composite.The strengthening mechanism mainly results from precipitation strengthening of nano-sizedβ"precipitates in the heat-treated composite.

Effect of HEA/Al composite interlayer on microstructure and mechanical property of Ti/Mg bimetal composite by solid-liquid compound casting

In this study,HEA/AI composite interlayer was used to fabricate Ti/Mg bimetal composites by solidliquid compound casting process.The Al layer was prepared on the surface of TC4 alloy by hot dipping,and the FeCoNiCr HEA layer was prepared by magnetron sputtering onto the Al layer.The influence of the HEA layer thickness and pouring temperature on interface evolution was investigated based on SEM observation and thermodynamic analysis.Results indicate that the sluggish diffusion effect of HEA can effectively inhibit the interfacial diffusion between Al and Mg,which is conducive to the formation of solid solution,especially when the thickness of HEA is 800 nm.With the increase of casting temperature from 720 ℃ to 730 ℃,740℃,and 750 ℃,α-Al(Mg),α-Al(Mg)+Al3Mg2,Al3Mg2+Al12Mg17,and Al12Mg17+δ-Mg are formed at the interface of Ti/Mg bimetal,respectively.When the thickness of the HEA layer is 800 nm and the pouring temperature is 720 ℃,the bonding strength of the Ti/Mg bimetal can reach the maximum of 93.6 MPa.

Tuning energy output of PTFE/Al composite materials through gradient structure

As a typical energetic composite,polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)/aluminum(Al)has been widely applied in explosives,pyrotechnics,and propellants due to its ultra-high energy density and intense exothermic reaction.In this work,the radial gradient(RG)structure of PTFE/Al cylinders with three different PTFE morphologies(200 nm and 5μm particles and 5μm fiber)and content changes are prepared by 3D printing technology.The effect of radial gradient structure on the pressure output of PTFE/Al has been studied.Compared with the morphology change of PTFE,the change of component content in the gradient structure has an obvious effect on the pressure output of the PTFE/Al cylinder.Furthermore,the relationships of the morphology,content of PTFE and the combustion reaction of the PTFE/Al cylinder reveal that the cylinder shows a more complex flame propagation process than others.These results could provide a strategy to improve the combustion and pressure output of PTFE/Al.

Evaluation of microstructure and mechanical properties of squeeze overcast Al7075-Cu composite joints

Al7075-Cu composite joints were prepared by the squeeze overcast process.The effects of melt temperature,die temperature,and squeeze pressure on hardness and ultimate tensile strength(UTS)of squeeze overcast Al7075-Cu composite joints were studied.The experimental results depict that squeeze pressure is the most significant process parameter affecting the hardness and UTS.The optimal values of UTS(48 MPa)and hardness(76 HRB)are achieved at a melt temperature of 800℃,a die temperature of 250℃,and a squeeze pressure of 90 MPa.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM)shows that fractured surfaces show flatfaced morphology at the optimal experimental condition.Energy-dispersive spectroscopy(EDS)analysis depicts that the atomic weight percentage of Zn decreases with an increase in melt temperature and squeeze pressure.The optimal mechanical properties of the Al7075-Cu overcast joint were achieved at the Al2Cu eutectic phase due to the large number of copper atoms that dispersed into the aluminum melt during the solidification process and the formation of strong intermetallic bonds.Gray relational analysis integrated with the Taguchi method was used to develop an optimal set of control variables for multi-response parametric optimization.Confirmatory tests were performed to validate the effectiveness of the employed technique.The manufacturing of squeeze overcast Al7075-Cu composite joints at optimal process parameters delivers a great indication to acknowledge a new method for foundry practitioners to manufacture materials with superior mechanical properties.

Iron/aluminum nanocomposites prepared by one-step reduction method and their effects on thermal decomposition of AP and AN

Aluminum(Al)powder is widely used in solid propellants.In particular,nano-Al has attracted extensive scholarly attention in the field of energetic materials due to its higher reactivity than micro-Al.However,the existence of aluminum oxide film on its surface reduces the heat release performance of the aluminum powder,which greatly limits its application.Hence,this paper used iron,a component of solid propellant,to coat micron-Al and nano-Al to improve the heat release efficiency and reactivity of Al powder.SEM,TEM,EDS,XRD,XPS,and BET were used to investigate the morphological structure and properties of pure Al and Fe/Al composite fuels of different sizes.The results show that Fe was uniformly coated on the surface of Al powder.There was no reaction between Fe and Al,and Fe/Al composite fuels had a larger specific surface area than pure Al,which could better improve the reactivity of pure Al.Besides,the catalytic effects of pure Al and Fe/Al composite fuels of different sizes on ammonium perchlorate and ammonium nitrate were explored.The results show that the catalysis of pure Al powder could be greatly improved by coating Fe on the surface of Al powder.Especially,the micron-Fe/Al composite fuel had a higher catalytic effect than the pure nano-Al powder.Hence,Fe/Al composite fuels are expected to be widely used in solid propellants.

Hot deformation behavior and microstructure evolution of Be/2024Al composites

The high temperature compression test of Be/2024Al composites with 62wt%Be was conducted at 500–575℃ and strain rate of0.003–0.1 s^(-1).The strain-compensated Arrhenius model and modified Johnson–Cook model were introduced to predict the hot deformation behavior of Be/2024Al composites.The result shows that the activation energy of Be/2024Al composites was 363.364 k J·mol^(-1).Compared with composites reinforced with traditional ceramics,Be/2024Al composites can be deformed with ultra-high content of reinforcement,attributing to the deformable property of Be particles.The average relative error of the two models shows that modified Johnson–Cook model was more suitable for low temperature condition while strain-compensated Arrhenius model was more suitable for high temperature condition.The processing map was generated and a hot extrusion experiment was conducted according to the map.A comparation of the microstructure of Be/2024Al composites before and after extrusion shows that the Be particle deformed coordinately with the matrix and elongated at the extrusion direction.

Oxidation mechanism of high-volume fraction SiCp/Al composite under laser irradiation and subsequent machining

Conventional mechanical machining of a composite material comprising an aluminum matrix reinforced with a high volume fraction of SiC particles(hereinafter referred to as an SiCp/Al composite)faces problems such as rapid tool wear,high specific cutting force,and poor surface integrity.Instead,a promising method for solving these problems is laser-induced oxidation-assisted milling(LOAM):under laser irradiation,the local workpiece material reacts with oxygen,thus forming loose and porous oxides that are easily removed.In the present work,the oxidation mechanism of SiCp/Al irradiated by a nanosecond pulsed laser is studied to better understand the laser-induced oxidation behavior and control the characteristics of the oxides,with laser irradiation experiments performed on a 65%SiCp/Al composite with various laser parameters and auxiliary gases(oxygen,nitrogen,and argon).With increasing laser pulse energy density,both the ablated groove depth and the width of the heat-affected zone increase.When oxygen is used as the auxiliary gas,an oxide layer composed of SiO_(2)and Al2O3 forms,and CO_(2)is produced and escapes from the material,thereby forming pores in the oxides.However,when nitrogen or argon is used as the auxiliary gas,a recast layer is produced that is relatively difficult to remove.Under laser irradiation,the sputtered material reacts with oxygen to form oxides on both sides of the ablated groove,and as the laser scanning path advances,the produced oxides accumulate to form an oxide layer.LOAM and conventional milling are compared using the same milling parameters,and LOAM is found to be better for reduced milling force and tool wear and improved machined surface quality.

Development and Characterization of Aluminium-Based Metal Matrix Composites

Aluminum based metal matrix composites were fabricated using stir casting where silicon carbide and alumina were the reinforcements. Different types of properties (physical-density, mechanical-tensile, hardness, chemical-corrosion etc.) were measured and compared with base metals/alloys. The properties were significantly varied. The highest density was obtained for pure aluminium with 5% Al2O3 whereas the lowest was obtained for AA-4032 alloy. The highest hardness was obtained for AA-4032 with 5% Al2O3 whereas the lowest was obtained for pure Al with 5% Al2O3. The highest strength was obtained for AA-6061 with 5% coarse SiC whereas the lowest was obtained for pure Al. The highest impact strength was obtained for AA-4032 with 5% Al2O3 whereas the lowest was obtained for AA-6061. The corrosion resistance of all composites was lower than that of the base materials.