Processing and characterization of aluminium-based MMCs produced by gas pressure infiltration

E. Carreno Morelli , Thierry Cutard (1) , R. Schaller , C. Bonjour

1 Centre Matériaux - Ecole des Mines Albi-Carmaux

A device has been designed and built for unidirectional infiltration of ceramic preforms with a molten metal. It allows production of Al or Mg alloys reinforced with short or continuous ceramic fibres. The apparatus has been tested for different alloys and preforms by varying the process parameters (infiltration pressure, fibre content, melt superheat, preform preheat and solidification speed). As an example, full infiltration of Al 2 O 3-SAFFIL chopped preforms with an Al-4wt.%Cu-1wt.%Mg-0.5wt.%Ag alloy has been achieved under controlled conditions by using a gas pressure between 1 and 3 MPa. The resulting metal matrix composite has been characterised by microscopical observations and mechanical tests. Measurements of Young's modulus, density, microhardness and mechanical loss show that the optimal process conditions for Al-4wt.%Cu-1wt.%Mg-0.5wt.%Ag-SAFFIL composites are a temperature of 750°C for both preform and melt and the maximum infiltration pressure of 3 MPa. Preliminary tests have shown that the gas pressure infiltration apparatus is also suitable to produce continuous fibre reinforced and hybrid metal matrix composites.

Mots clés: Aluminium; Gas pressure infiltration; Magnesium; Metal-matrix composites

Domaines: Sciences de l'ingénieur [physics]

E. Carreno Morelli, Thierry Cutard, R. Schaller, C. Bonjour. Processing and characterization of aluminium-based MMCs produced by gas pressure infiltration. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 1998, 251 (n° 1-2), p. 48-57. ⟨10.1016/S0921-5093(98)00649-2⟩. ⟨hal-01847833⟩