Fabrication of Al-AlN Nanocomposites

Abstract

A review of the methods of obtaining and properties of aluminum matrix composites, discretely reinforced with ceramic particles and nanoparticles of aluminum nitride AlN, is given. The survey shows that at low weight, nanocomposites Al-AlN possess improved physical and mechanical properties, including at high temperatures up to 400-550°C, which makes them very attractive for applications in automotive, aerospace and semiconductor technology. However, due to the long duration and energy consumption, expensive and complicated equipment, low productivity of existing solid-phase methods of powder metallurgy and liquid-phase metallurgical processes of fabrication of nanocomposites of Al-AlN, there are not yet the mastered technologies of industrial production of these composites. Azide technology of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS-AZ) using sodium azide NaN3 as a solid nitriding reagent allows you to get relatively inexpensive nanopowder of aluminum nitride in the form of nanofibers along with side salt of cryolite Na3AlF6, which can play the role of flux when working with molten aluminum. A new simple ex-situ method of introduction of AlN particles in the molten aluminum alloy in the form of a composite master alloy obtained by fusing together a flux carnallite KCl·MgCl2 with AlN nanopowder mixed with cryolite Na3AlF6 was proposed. Results of experiments on the application of the proposed method for obtaining nanocomposite with matrix made of aluminum-magnesium alloy AlMg6 containing up to 1 % of the reinforcing phase AlN are presented.