The role of interfaces in the application of rapidly solidified metal ribbons as reinforcements for composites

Abstract

The use of rapidly solidified (RS) metallic ribbons as reinforcement for composites is encouraged by their good mechanical properties and geometries which provide higher transverse strengths and surface-to-volume ratios than fiber reinforcements in uniaxial laminates do. As with continuous fiber-reinforced composites, the quality of the interface between components is of primary importance in achieving optimum mechanical properties. The focus of this paper is the investigation of the interfacial zones formed during consolidation of metallic glass ribbons into both polymer and metal matrices. For the polymeric system, RS Fe 40Ni 40B 20 ribbons were incorporated into a thermoplastic polypropylene matrix by sandwich and thin film methods. The results of pull-out tests and microstructural investigation indicate that a much better interface is obtained in the sandwich method of fabrication. The thin film method results in a very imperfect interface containing numerous air bubbles trapped during fabrication. For the metallic system, RS Ni 75Al 25B 1Zr 1 ribbons were consolidated into an aluminum matrix by casting.