Abstract
Abstract Ceramic-reinforced aluminium matrix composites have attracted considerable attention in engineering applications as a result of their relatively low costs and characteristic isotropic properties. Reinforcement materials include carbides, nitrides and oxides. In an effort to achieve optimality in structure and properties of ceramic-reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs), various fabrication and heat treatment techniques have evolved over the last 20 years. In this paper, the status of the research and development in fabrication and heat treatment techniques of ceramic-reinforced aluminium matrix composites is reviewed, with a major focus on material systems in terms of chemical compositions, weight or volume fraction, particle size of reinforcement, fabrication methods and heat treatment procedures. Various optical measurement techniques used by the researchers are highlighted. Also, limitations and needs of the technique in composite fabrication are presented in the literature. The full potential of various methods for fabricating ceramic-reinforced aluminium matrix composites is yet to be explored.
Highlights
Metal matrix composites are combinations of two or more chemically non-reactive materials to form a new material system with enhanced material properties, in which titanium, aluminium and magnesium are popularly used as matrix metals and some non-metallic materials, commonly ceramics such as silicon carbide, aluminium oxide, graphite or fly ash may be used as reinforcing materials (Pandey 2004; Surappa 2003)
The matrix metal was melted above the superheating temperature, i.e. 700°C in a graphite crucible under a cover of nitrogen gas by using an electrical resistance heating furnace, and the molten metal was well agitated by a mechanical stirrer to create turbulence motion
After extensive literature study, it was observed that researchers adopt either powder metallurgy or molten metal stir casting technique, mostly the later one, for fabrication of ceramic-reinforced aluminium matrix composites, which may be due to the economical viability of this method
Summary
Metal matrix composites are combinations of two or more chemically non-reactive materials to form a new material system with enhanced material properties, in which titanium, aluminium and magnesium are popularly used as matrix metals and some non-metallic materials, commonly ceramics such as silicon carbide, aluminium oxide, graphite or fly ash may be used as reinforcing materials (Pandey 2004; Surappa 2003). Alaneme (2011) developed 6, 12 and 15 vol.% of SiCp (size 30 μm) reinforced Al 6063 alloy matrix composites using a two-step stir casting method which involved melting the Al ingots and cooling to a semi-solid state before introducing the SiC particulates and dehydrated borax mixture (in the ratio 2:1) and stirred manually for 10 to 15 min. This was followed by heating of the mixture to 30°C above the liquidus and performing a second stirring using a mechanical stirrer at a revolution of 300 rpm for 10 min before casting. Kumar et al (2012) produced SiC (of size 30 to 50 μm and weight percentage of 5, 10 and 15) reinforced Al 6061 matrix composite by liquid metallurgy technique,
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