AlSi10Mg Composites Research Articles

Dispersion of CNTs in Selective Laser Melting Printed AlSi10Mg Composites via Friction Stir Processing

The superior elastic modulus, stiffness and wear resistance of particulate-reinforced metal composites (MMCs) have drawn much attention in various industries ranging from defence, aerospace and automobile industries. Here, friction stir processing (FSP) has successfully dispersed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and significantly reduced cavities in selective laser melting (SLM) fabricated AlSi10Mg-CNTs composites. Further grain refinement, was achieved via FSP with the addition of CNTs. This is mainly attributed to the dynamic recrystallization and Zener pinning effect. The addition of CNTs to AlSi10Mg resulted in significant improvement in hardness of SLM fabricated aluminium composites. However, FSP of these samples resulted in reductions in the Vicker’s microhardness. This could be due to the dissolution of hardening precipitates and the absences of fine dendritic network present in SLM fabricated parts.

Tailored growth of in situAl4SiC4 in laser melted aluminum melt

The crystallization and growth of in situ crystals during non-equilibrium laser rapid melting/solidification process is an important research topic in the fields of both Applied Physics and Materials Science. The present paper studies the development mechanisms of in situ formed Al 4 SiC 4 ceramic phase within the selective laser melted SiC / AlSi10Mg composites. Two different-structured Al 4 SiC 4 having strip and particle morphologies were disclosed and their growth mechanisms were influenced by laser linear energy density (LED). An elevated LED resulted in a larger degree formation of strip-structured Al 4 SiC 4 with the gradually coarsened crystal sizes in its length and thickness. The homogeneously dispersed particle-shaped Al 4 SiC 4 exhibited a considerably refined nanostructure with a proper increase in LED, but showing a significant coarsening of particles at an excessive LED.