Evaluation of reactive wetting kinetics of carbon fibers by molten Al-Ti alloy and its application to the fabrication of Al/carbon fiber composites

Abstract

Wetting and interfacial reactions between molten Al and carbon fibers (CFs) are crucial for the fabrication of high-thermal conductive Al/CF composites through liquid-state processes including casting. The formation of Al4C3 which has a low thermal conductivity and high reactivity with water needs to be suppressed while improving wettability. The addition of Ti into molten Al forms TiC and contributes to significant improvement in wettability. To control a thin morphology of TiC, the kinetics of reactive wetting need to be clarified. In the present study, the reactive wetting kinetics between molten Al or Al-Ti alloy and pitch-based CF were investigated using the dipping coverage method combined with microstructural observations. The addition of Ti into molten Al drastically accelerated the wetting and reduced the apparent activation barrier for reactive wetting, which was related to the change in the interfacial products from the Al4C3 phase to the TiC phase. The Al4C3 phase grew while eroding the CFs, whereas the TiC phase formed in a thin-layered morphology around CFs and suppressed the diameter reduction of CF. The reduction in the apparent activation barrier and the morphology of carbides indicated a change in the dominant phenomena for reactive wetting from Al4C3 growth to TiC formation (controlled by diffusion in liquid Al). Based on the kinetics evaluations, CF were hybridized with pure Al and Al-Ti alloy through a casting process, and their thermal conductivities were evaluated. The addition of CF into pure Al degraded the thermal conductivity due to the eroded CF and coarsened Al4C3 phase, whereas the addition of CF into Al-Ti alloy enhanced the thermal conductivity. This study provides new insights into reactive wetting phenomena related to the fabrication of high-thermal conductive metal matrix composites.