Titanium Aluminum Carbide Research Articles

Passively Q-switched fiber laser utilizing molybdenum titanium aluminum carbide (Mo2Ti2AlC2) for pulsed laser generation

In this work, Molybdenum Titanium Aluminum Carbide (Mo2Ti2AlC2) was examined to function as a reliable saturable absorber (SA) for stable pulse generation in the 1563 nm wavelength. To create the Mo2Ti2AlC2-PVA film, Mo2Ti2AlC2 powder with > 200 nm particle size was dispersed into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and dried to form a film. The Mo2Ti2AlC2-PVA film had a linear absorption coefficient of about 1.5 dB at the Q-switched working wavelength. The Mo2Ti2AlC2-PVA film was sandwiched between fiber ferules and analyzed in the Erbium-Doped Fiber (EDF) ring cavity design. Self-started Q-switching was realized with pump power ranging from 20 mW to 55 mW. The pulse width shrunk from 21.7 µs to 8.9 µs while the repetition rate increased from 20.45 kHz to 40.40 kHz. The fundamental frequency had a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 61 dB, implying good stability of the pulsed laser. The highest output power and pulse energies are 1.1 mW and 27.2 nJ, respectively. These results demonstrate that Mo2Ti2AlC2 can be a good alternative passive SA to produce laser pulsing in the 1.55-micron wavelength.

Influences of Al concentration and Nb addition on oxidation behavior of Ti2AlC ceramics at high temperatures

ABSTRACT A titanium aluminum carbide, Ti2AlC, which is classified among MAX phase ceramics, was studied as a potential candidate for various mechanical components used in high-temperature applications. The impact of its chemical composition on its high-temperature oxidation process was determined. Ti2AlC powders with various Al contents and with or without Nb addition were synthesized via a conventional reaction technique followed by 16 h of annealing in vacuum at 1300°C. The synthesized Ti2AlC powders were consolidated by means of 15 min of pulsed electric current sintering at a die temperature of 1300°C in vacuum under a uniaxial pressure of 30 MPa. In the presence of an aluminum reservoir in the form of TiAl3, Ti2AlC has excellent resistance against high-temperature oxidation. The promising results concerning the addition of Nb to TiAl provided the rationale for a similar modification of Ti2AlC. The results of oxidation tests on Nb-doped Ti2AlC likewise showed excellent oxidation resistance. Alloying with Nb can improve the oxidation resistance of Ti2AlC with low Al content, allowing the formation of a protective Al2O3 scale and inhibiting the growth of TiO2.

Novel Alumina Matrix Composites Reinforced with MAX Phases-Microstructure Analysis and Mechanical Properties.

This article describes the manufacturing of alumina composites with the addition of titanium aluminum carbide Ti3AlC2, known as MAX phases. The composites were obtained by the powder metallurgy technique with three types of mill (horizontal mill, attritor mill, and planetary mill), and were consolidated with the use of the Spark Plasma Sintering method at 1400 °C, with dwelling time 10 min. The influence of the Ti3AlC2 MAX phase addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the obtained composites was analyzed. The structure of the MAX phase after the sintering process was also investigated. The chemical composition and phase composition analysis showed that the Ti3AlC2 addition preserved its structure after the sintering process. The increase in fracture toughness for all series of composites has been noted (over 20% compared to reference samples). Detailed stereological analysis of the obtained microstructures also could determine the influence of the applied mill on the homogeneity of the final microstructure and the properties of obtained composites.

A Hydrofluoric Acid-Free Green Synthesis of Magnetic M.Ti2CTx Nanostructures for the Sequestration of Cesium and Strontium Radionuclide.

HighlightsAn environmentally friendly MAX phase etching methodology was establishedSodium hydroxide produced magnetic layered M.Ti2CTx nanostructureM.Ti2C-AIII exhibited exceptional Sr2+ and Cs+ removal capacities of 376 and 142.88 mg/gHighly efficient magnetic nanostructures permitted selective radionuclide removalMAX phases are the parent materials used for the formation of MXenes, and are generally obtained by etching using the highly corrosive acid HF. To develop a more environmentally friendly approach for the synthesis of MXenes, in this work, titanium aluminum carbide MAX phase (Ti2AlC) was fabricated and etched using NaOH. Further, magnetic properties were induced during the etching process in a single-step etching process that led to the formation of a magnetic composite. By carefully controlling etching conditions such as etching agent concentration and time, different structures could be produced (denoted as M.Ti2CTx). Magnetic nanostructures with unique physico-chemical characteristics, including a large number of binding sites, were utilized to adsorb radionuclide Sr2+ and Cs+ cations from different matrices, including deionized, tap, and seawater. The produced adsorbents were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The synthesized materials were found to be very stable in the aqueous phase, compared with corrosive acid-etched MXenes, acquiring a distinctive structure with oxygen-containing functional moieties. Sr2+ and Cs+ removal efficiencies of M.Ti2CTx were assessed via conventional batch adsorption experiments. M.Ti2CTx-AIII showed the highest adsorption performance among other M.Ti2CTx phases, with maximum adsorption capacities of 376.05 and 142.88 mg/g for Sr2+ and Cs+, respectively, which are among the highest adsorption capacities reported for comparable adsorbents such as graphene oxide and MXenes. Moreover, in seawater, the removal efficiencies for Sr2+ and Cs+ were greater than 93% and 31%, respectively. Analysis of the removal mechanism validates the electrostatic interactions between M.Ti2C-AIII and radionuclides.

Novel ZnFe2O4@MnO2@MXene composites with ultrathin thickness and excellent electromagnetic absorption performance

A flower-like ZnFe2O4@MnO2 composite with core-shell structures was prepared by a hydrothermal method. MXene nanosheets were fabricated by etching titanium aluminium carbide (Ti3AlC2) and further ultrasonic exfoliation. A ZnFe2O4@MnO2@MXene composite was synthesized by electrostatic self-assembly with negatively charged MXene nanosheets and positively charged ZnFe2O4@MnO2 composite. MXene nanosheets, having a large specific surface area and high electrical conductivity, can provide more conductive pathways. The incorporation of ZnFe2O4 and MnO2 contributes to enhanced interfacial polarization and impedance matching. The ZnFe2O4@MnO2@MXene composite shows better electromagnetic wave absorption (EMA) performance than ZnFe2O4 and the ZnFe2O4@MnO2 composite. The minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of the ZnFe2O4@MnO2@MXene composite reaches −50.4 dB at a frequency of 15.3 GHz with a thickness of 1.40 mm, while the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) reaches 4.7 GHz (13.3–18.0 GHz). The EMA mechanism of the composite was revealed. This study can provide a strategy for the structural designation of high-performance EMA materials.

MXene titanium carbide synthesized by hexagonal titanium aluminum carbide with high specific capacitance and low impedance.

The electrochemical properties of the MXene titanium carbide, Ti3C2, which has received much attention in the application of electrode materials for supercapacitors, are affected by the different morphologies of its precursor. In particular, the increase of layer spacing and specific capacitance, as well as the decrease of impedance and the dynamics analysis of Ti3C2 etched from hexagonal Ti3AlC2 precursors, are still not clear, and need to be further studied and explored. In this work, MXene Ti3C2 was synthesized efficiently in 2 hours by microwave assisted selective etching with hexagonal Ti3AlC2 as the precursor material. The specific capacitance of the Ti3C2 electrode is up to 357.85 F g-1, while the ohmic resistance RΩ of the whole electrochemical energy storage system is 0.234 ohm and the charge transfer resistance Rct is 0.875 ohm. By analyzing the structural evolution and electrochemical properties from hexagonal Ti3AlC2 to Ti3C2, it is revealed that Ti3C2 prepared with hexagonal Ti3AlC2 as the precursor material has larger atomic layer spacing, more active sites, smaller diffusion impedance and higher energy storage efficiency than that prepared with ordinary Ti3AlC2. These lay a structural foundation for improving the energy storage performance of Ti3C2 supercapacitor electrodes.

Investigation of detergent compositions on the effectiveness of alumina and aluminium titanium carbide cleaning

Particle contamination on a surface is a critical issue for the electronics manufacturing processes. Detergents that are composed of surfactants and appropriate additives can decrease the natural attraction forces between particles and surface, leading to effective particle removal. This work aims to investigate the influences of detergent pH and additives on the effectiveness in removing inorganic particles from Al2O3 and AlTiC substrates, which are commonly used materials in the electronics industry. In this study, we chose a model detergent comprised of an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, and two additives, namely sodium acid pyrophosphate and ethanolamine. Talc particles were employed as a model inorganic contaminant. The effects of pH and ethanolamine concentration on the cleaning effectiveness of the model detergent were examined using optical microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The stability of talc suspension in detergent solution, which is related to the possibility of particle recontamination, was determined by zeta potential. Our results indicate that the pH of the detergent directly affects its cleaning efficiency, likely by increasing the electrostatic repulsion between the surface and the talc particles. Similarly, the increasing ethanolamine concentration elevates the pH of the detergent, leading to better cleaning performances on both Al2O3 and AlTiC substrates.

Reinforcing effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on microstructure and mechanical behavior of AA5052 composites assisted by in-situ TiC particles

In this research, the synergistic effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and in-situ synthesized titanium carbide (TiC) on the mechanical performance of aluminum hybrid composites were studied. The microstructural characterization involving the influence of both titanium carbide and carbon nanotubes was investigated. The reinforcing effects of both titanium carbide and multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the micro-hardness, tensile strength, and impact strength of the composites were also investigated. The microstructures of the fractured tensile and impact test surfaces were examined through FESEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope). Clear peaks of titanium carbide (TiC) and aluminum carbide (Al4C3) were observed in the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis. The micro-hardness of the aluminum composites was significantly improved after the reinforcement with CNT and TiC. The highest ultimate tensile strength and yield strength were found with Al–9%TiC-1%MWCNT and are equal to 206.44 MPa and 136.15 MPa, respectively, whereas a 16% decrease in the impact strength of Al–9%TiC-1%MWCNT was witnessed when compared to base alloy. The effects, such as CNT pull-out, CNT bridging was seen from tensile fractography of the composites. Further, the crack initiation from the pull-out cavity was also assumed to affect the fracture mechanism. Cleavage facets were associated both with the impact and tensile fracture surfaces of the composites. With the superior mechanical properties obtained, the aluminum hybrid composite can be replaced for different structural applications.

Crack-healing, a novel approach for a laser-based powder bed fusion of high-performance ceramic oxides

• Ceramic Powder-bed fusion sample with mechanical ultimate strength of up to 200 MPa. • Self-healing materials enable high strength in powder bed fusion of ceramics. • The healing of cracks is effective for volumes up to 10 × 10 × 10 mm. Laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) of ceramic materials have not been developed sufficiently. The process-induced crack formation is the key challenge of the associated additive manufacturing method, which prevents its successful industrial implementation. Therefore, we have adopted a strategy to accept crack formation as an inherent characteristic of the manufacturing process while enhancing the mechanical properties of the parts by repairing the cracks using a thermal post-processing. Crack healing was successfully demonstrated in the PBF-LB-manufactured alumina titanium carbide (TiC) composite parts after thermal treatment in the air at 900 °C. Crack healing is achieved through the phase transformation from TiC to TiO 2 in the form of rutile. The built parts exhibited a mechanical strength up to two times higher than values demonstrated in the previous studies on alumina PBF-LB without preheating, achieving an average flexural strength value of 181 MPa and a maximum value of 232 MPa.

Elucidating the electrochemical mechanism for enhanced corrosion of Ti3C2Tx-coated mild steel

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides (MXenes) represent a burgeoning group of 2D layered materials with widespread applications due to unique performance characteristics, in which titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) as corrosion inhibitor provides good physical barrier effect. Given that, as-prepared Ti3C2Tx MXene via chemical etching of titanium aluminium carbide (MAX) phase using HF/oxidants have good corrosion resistance of their own, but it is of inevitable importance to understand the effect of their hydrophilic surfaces and high electrical conductivities on corrosion of alloy substrate. Herein Ti3C2Tx MXene coating was prepared on mild steel substrate (Q345) to explore its corrosion behaviors in different conditions. The corrosion current density (i corr) of MXene-coated Q345 was 6.39 × 10–6 A · cm−2, which was higher than that of uncoated Q345 sample (5.66 × 10–6 A · cm−2). After 3 days of storage in wet environment of 40% and 90% relative humidity (RH) at 30 °C, MXene-coated Q345 had suffered from a higher degree of spatially inhomogeneous corrosion, while the surface of uncoated substrate was still neat and glossy in spite of undergoing 1 month of storage under the same condition. The results demonstrate that Ti3C2Tx MXene accelerates the corrosion of Q345. Conductive and hydrophilic Ti3C2Tx could act as an electrode to propagate the charge generated by the oxidation of Fe, which forms a micro corrosion cell with substrate. Thus, the electrochemical corrosion process of substrate is accelerated.

Li-ion storage properties of two-dimensional titanium-carbide synthesized via fast one-pot method in air atmosphere

Structural bidimensional transition-metal carbides and/or nitrides (MXenes) have drawn the attention of the material science research community thanks to their unique physical-chemical properties. However, a facile and cost-effective synthesis of MXenes has not yet been reported. Here, using elemental precursors, we report a method for MXene synthesis via titanium aluminium carbide formation and subsequent in situ etching in one molten salt pot. The molten salts act as the reaction medium and prevent the oxidation of the reactants during the high-temperature synthesis process, thus enabling the synthesis of MXenes in an air environment without using inert gas protection. Cl-terminated Ti3C2Tx and Ti2CTx MXenes are prepared using this one-pot synthetic method, where the in situ etching step at 700 °C requires only approximately 10 mins. Furthermore, when used as an active material for nonaqueous Li-ion storage in a half-cell configuration, the obtained Ti2CTx MXene exhibits lithiation capacity values of approximately 280 mAh g−1 and 160 mAh g−1 at specific currents of 0.1 A g−1 and 2 A g−1, respectively.

Ti3AlC2 MAX phase thin film as saturable absorber for generating soliton mode-locked fiber laser

We have successfully realized the soliton pulse in a Erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) cavity, which was mode-locked by a Titanium Aluminum Carbide (Ti3AlC2) MAX phase based saturable absorber (SA). The SA was obtained by embedding the Ti3AlC2 compound into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in form of thin film. The prepared Ti3AlC2 film has a modulation depth of 2% and it was added into an EDFL cavity to generate a stable soliton pulse operating at 1559.7 nm wavelength. The mode-locking operation was successfully observed within a pump power range from 66.3 to 97.6 mW. It has maintained the repetition rate and pulse width at 1.8 MHz and 5.02 ps, respectively. When the pump power reached 97.6 mW, the maximum average output power, pulse energy and peak power were measured to be 8.34 mW, 4.46 nJ and 0.89 kW, respectively. These results unveil the potential of Ti3AlC2 MAX-phase material for implementation as practical and cost-effective SAs.

Synthesis of Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub> Mxene through <i>In Situ</i> HF and Direct HF Etching Procedures as Electrolyte Fillers in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

MXene is the new family of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides discovered in 2011. The unique properties of 2D MXene such as excellent mechanical properties, hydrophilic surfaces and metallic conductivity made it interesting for application in electrodes of rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors, photocatalysts, catalysts, transparent conducting films, and flexible high-strength composites. The MXene can be synthesized through a selective etching process by using either in-situ HF (hydrofluoric acid) or direct HF methods. This study reports on the effect of the in-situ HF and direct HF etching procedures on the morphology of the synthesis Ti2C3 MXene using titanium aluminum carbide (Ti2AlC3) as precursor. The morphology and elements presence were evaluated by using variable pressure field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and energy dispersion X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy analyses, respectively. The analysis shows that the MXene synthesized through the direct HF method was successfully delaminated compared to the in-situ HF procedures.

TITANIUM ALUMINUM CARBIDE COATED D-SHAPED FIBER AS PASSIVE SATURABLE ABSORBER FOR NANOSECOND PULSES GENERATION

The saturable absorber device based on the MAX phase titanium aluminum carbide (Ti3AlC2) deposited onto D-shaped fiber has successfully activated a pulsed laser at a center wavelength of 1557 nm. The elemental composition and vibrational modes of the saturable absorber were analyzed using energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy for chemical analysis and structure imaging. Strong saturable absorption of 2% and a non-saturable absorption of 49.2% at the 1.55-µm, confirmed its ability to generate pulses in the near-infrared wavelength spectrum. The nanosecond laser owns a pulse width of 146.7 ns, a repetition rate of 3.44 MHz, and a signal-to-noise ratio of 54.4 dB. By varying the laser diode pump from 35-90 mW, a stable short-pulsed laser was generated with the highest single pulse energy of 1.57 nJ, which corresponded to the output power of 5.4 mW. This demonstration shows the potential of MAX phase Ti3AlC2 as a saturable absorber in an all fiber-based laser cavity.

Preparation and characterization of aluminium-titanium carbide (Al-TiC) composite using powder metallurgy

The Aluminum (Al) metal has numerous applications all industries according to its strength to weight ratio. In the present work, three different volume fractions of Aluminium-Titanium carbide (TiC) metal matrix (Al-TiC) composites namely 100%-Al, 95%-Al & 5%-TiC and 90%-Al & 10%-TiC are formulated by sintering of mechanically alloyed powder (ball milling) in powder metallurgy processes to enhance the mechanical properties. The prepared Al–TiC composites are characterized by SEM and EDX and their microstructure reveals the uniform distribution of reinforced particles in metal matrix. Further, the Hardness of the composite experimentally investigated and the results reveal that the addition of TiC significantly enhances the hardness of the composite.

Synthesis and formation mechanism of high‐purity Ti3AlC2 powders by microwave sintering

AbstractHigh‐purity titanium aluminum carbide (Ti3AlC2) powders were synthesized by a microwave sintering method using different titanium sources as raw materials. The prepared products were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicated that the synthesized Ti3AlC2 powders have high purity (97.5%) and even distribution of the grain size when using a 3TiH2/1.2Al/2C mixture as raw materials when the microwave sintering temperature and time were 1300°C and 30 minutes, respectively. The formation mechanism of the Ti3AlC2 is described as proceeding via four stages. The solid‐phase reaction between titanium and aluminum occurs below the melting point of aluminum and the main product is a Ti3Al phase, which is an observed intermediate compound for the formation of Ti2AlC and Ti3AlC2. Thus, this study provides a beneficial approach to low‐temperature synthesis of high‐purity Ti3AlC2 materials.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Mechanical Properties Evaluation of Mg-Ti3AlC2 Composites Produced by Powder Metallurgy/Hot Pressing

Magnesium (Mg)-titanium aluminum carbide (Ti3AlC2) composites were produced by hot pressing (HP) at 0.15 to 1 MPa, 923 K (650 °C) for 30 minutes; Mg-Ti3AlC2 (10 to 30 vol pct) composite produced at 0.15 MPa, 923 K (650 °C) for 30 minutes exhibited 95 to 99 pct relative density (RD), while Mg-40Ti3AlC2 produced at 1 MPa, 923 K (650 °C) for 30 minutes exhibited full density. Improved densification results are mainly due to the flow of liquid Mg between the Ti3AlC2 particles. The monolithic Mg processed at 5 MPa, 873 K (600 °C) for 5 minutes also exhibited full density. Further, Mg-Ti3AlC2 composites produced at low pressure (1 MPa) exhibited maximum density as compared to other research works. Monolithic Mg exhibited a microhardness of 62 ± 8 HV0.5. Besides, as the Ti3AlC2 content was varied from 10 to 40 vol pct, the microhardness of Mg-Ti3AlC2 composites increased from 62 ± 5 to 158 ± 11 HV0.5. The compressive strength of Mg-Ti3AlC2 (10 to 40 vol pct) composite at room temperature (RT) was in the range of 180 ± 10 to 617 ± 13 MPa. The compressive strengths of Mg-Ti3AlC2 (30 and 40 vol pct) composites at 473 K (200 °C) were 366 ± 20 and 480 ± 71 MPa, respectively. The flexural strength of Mg-Ti3AlC2 composites (20 to 40 vol pct) was determined to be in the range of 335 ± 12 to 513 ± 3 MPa.

Synthesis and characterization of high-performance epoxy/ Ti3AlC2-reinforced conductive polymer composites

Titanium aluminium carbide powder was reaction synthesized and used as reinforcement in the aircraft grade epoxy matrix (LY556) to develop a high-performance conductive polymer composite. The particle sizes of 4 and 7 µm were employed from 0 to 40 wt.% to improve the mechanical and electrical properties of conductive polymer composites. It was observed that the percolation characteristics were exhibited at a critical threshold of 20 wt.% for both the filler particle sizes. Further, microstructural observations revealed the formation of a conductive network in the conductive polymer composites when the filler content was 20 wt.%. The tensile and flexural properties were increased when the particle size was decreased. Experimental values were then compared with the available analytical models for validation. The mechanical and electrical properties of the conductive polymer composites were optimized by tailoring the filler particle size to 4 µm and particle loading at 20 wt.%. Compared to neat epoxy, the optimized conductive polymer composites have shown a simultaneous increase in strength, stiffness and conductivity performances, which can find applications in aerospace and electronics industries.

Exfoliation of Titanium Aluminum Carbide (211 MAX Phase) to Form Nanofibers and Two-Dimensional Nanosheets and Their Application in Aqueous-Phase Cadmium Sequestration.

A green approach was adopted to exfoliate a Ti2AlC MAX phase. The exfoliated nanostructures (Alk-Ti2Cfibr and Alk-Ti2Csheet) with exceptional mechanical, thermal, and water stabilites, as well as abundant oxygenated active binding sites, were synthesized via a controlled hydrothermal treatment in an alkaline environment. The successful synthesis of nanofibers and sheetlike nanostructures was inferred with scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, field-emission transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, ζ-potential analyses, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were utilized to investigate the material's characteristics and its structural changes after metal ion adsorption. Heavy metal ion adsorption of the synthesized nanostructures was assessed in batch tests based on Cd2+ ion sequestration; the maximum adsorption capacity for Cd2+ was 325.89 mg/g, which is among the highest values reported for similar materials such as graphene oxide and its derivatives. The detailed quantitative investigation confirmed the interaction of hydroxyl groups with Cd2+ ions by electrostatic interactions, adsorption-coupled oxidation, and complex formation. Owing to their unique structure, high porosity, large specific surface area, and oxygenated functional groups, Alk-Ti2Csheet nanosheets were highly time-efficient for Cd2+ removal. Moreover, Alk-Ti2Cfibr and Alk-Ti2Csheet nanostructures were tested for simulated groundwater, showing that synthesized nanostructures were capable for removing Cd2+ ions at the ppb level. The results obtained from this study suggested that nanostructures synthesized using this route could provide a new approach to prepare and exfoliate additional MAX phases for the removal of heavy metal ions and other pollutants in the environment.

FABRICATION OF SURFACE COMPOSITE BY FRICTION STIR PROCESSING USING A NOVEL DIRECT PARTICLE INJECTION TOOL

In this work, aluminum/titanium carbide (Al/TiC) surface composite has been fabricated by friction stir processing using a novel modular Direct Particle Injection Tool (DPI–FSP). The tool has a unique feature wherein the TiC particles have been transferred from the tool itself by spring adjusted plunger movement into the matrix. The microstructural observations from optical and scanning electron microscope (SEM)-EDS results revealed the homogeneous distribution of particles in the stirred zone (SZ) and the thickness of the formed surface composite layer (SCL) is approximately 0.34[Formula: see text]mm. X-ray diffraction results confirmed that the particles are reinforced in the aluminum matrix, and no intermetallics have been formed in the composite. The microhardness of composite was increased from 68 to 135[Formula: see text]Hv, and the impact test results showed that the toughness was almost comparable to that of the base metal.