Cubic alni compound dispersed mg-based amorphous matrix composites prepared by rapid solidification

Abstract

Magnesium is known as the lightest metal which has been used as a construction material. Recently, a series of amorphous Al-and Mg-based alloys having high strength and a wider supercooled liquid region have been found in Mg (or Al)-Tm (transition metal)-Ln (lanthanide metal) system, with indications of becoming a high specific strength material. Moreover, it was found that the dispersion of ultrafine fcc or hcp particles in the amorphous matrix improved the mechanical strength. On the other hand, a metal matrix composite material is a promising approach to materials development from which one can realize the enhanced mechanical properties of rapidly quenched metals in widespread technical application. The melt-spinning method has been combined with some techniques to incorporate carbide, nitride, and oxide particles into the molten alloy, to prepare an amorphous metal matrix composite. In general, the composite was prepared by consolidation techniques at sufficiently high temperature, which could lead to the crystallization. Thus, the preparation of amorphous composite is rarely achieved of amorphous phase. Recently, the authors have fabricated magnesium amorphous matrix composites with cubic AlNi compound (c-AlNi) as dispersoid by melt-spinning without any extra process. In this communication, they report the fabrication, structure, and hardness of this specialmore » amorphous composite.« less