Al2O3-Cu-Ni Composites Manufactured via Uniaxial Pressing: Microstructure, Magnetic, and Mechanical Properties

Paulina Piotrkiewicz,Konrad Cymerman,Marcin Wachowski,Waldemar Kaszuwara,Justyna Zygmuntowicz,Anna Więcław Midor

doi:10.3390/ma15051848

Paulina Piotrkiewicz, Konrad Cymerman + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15051848

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Abstract

This study’s main goal was to obtain and characterize Al2O3-Cu-Ni composites with different metallic phase content. The study analyzed the three series of samples differing in the metallic phase 5, 10, 15 vol.% volume contents. An identical volume share of the metallic components in the metallic phase was used. Ceramic–metal composites were formed using uniaxial pressing and sintered at a temperature of 1400 °C. The microstructural investigation of the Al2O3-Cu-Ni composite and its properties involved scanning electron microscopes observations and X-ray diffraction. The size of the metallic phase in the ceramic matrix was performed using a stereological analysis. Microhardness analysis with fracture toughness measures was applied to estimate the mechanical properties of the prepared materials. Additionally, magnetic measurements were carried out, and the saturation magnetization was determined on the obtained magnetic hysteresis loops. The prepared samples, regardless of the content of the metallic phase in each series, were characterized by a density exceeding 95% of the theoretical density. The magnetic measurements exhibited that the fabricated composites had ferromagnetic properties due to nickel and nickel-rich phases. The hardness of the samples containing 5, 10, 15 vol.% metallic phases decreased with an increase in the metallic phase content, equal to 17.60 ± 0.96 GPa, 15.40 ± 0.81 GPa, 12.6 ± 0.36 GPa, respectively.

Highlights

The ceramic–metal composites are new, interesting materials whose properties are the results of combining the properties of ceramic and metallic phases
The main objective of this research was to obtain homogeneously Al2 O3 -Cu-Ni composites by uniaxial pressing, which were sintered at a temperature of 1400 ◦ C
Composite samples from the Al2 O3 -Cu-Ni system were produced in multiple stages, including uniaxial pressing and sintering

Summary

Introduction

The ceramic–metal composites are new, interesting materials whose properties are the results of combining the properties of ceramic and metallic phases. In accordance with the structure, we can distinguish between composites with a ceramic and a metallic matrix. Depending on the ceramic matrix material applied and the type of metallic phase, ceramic–. The composites with the expected properties and microstructure may be obtained by using one of many different methods of fabrication such as powder metallurgy methods [7,8], in situ methods [9], methods based on the metal infiltration [10], electrophoretic deposition [11], or combination of isostatic pressing and sintering [12]. The choice of forming method affects the type of structure of the final material. Depending on the fabrication method, it is possible to obtain a homogeneous distribution of reinforcement, gradient structures, phase percolation, and layered composites

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