SiC Particles Research Articles

Influence of SiC particles orientation on fretting crack extension in an Al-SiC metal matrix composite

The effect of SiC particle orientation regarding the fretting cracking process of an Al-SiC metal matrix composite (MMC) is investigated. Focusing on the crack extension below a sphere-on-flat fretting contact after 106 loading cycles, it is shown that the maximum crack extension is observed when the SiC particles are collinear with the crack path (i.e. perpendicular to the fretting tensile stress). The minimum extension is by contrast observed when the SiC particles are perpendicular to this latter. The crack extension seems favoured when the crack path follows the interface between the SiC particle and the Al matrix but slows down when the particles are perpendicular to the crack path. The crack must then fracture the reinforcing particle. These various experiments are simulated using a 3D finite element modelling (FEM) including the presence of a 3D crack shape. Considering that the crack arrest condition is reached (i.e. plain fretting cracks do not extend anymore after 106 loading cycles), the crack arrest thresholds ΔKth from short to long crack regimes as a function of the SiC particles orientation are extracted from a reverse analysis of the experiments.

A two-stage approach to Ni-P-SiC coatings and their friction against SiC in water

Inspired by the low friction of self-mated SiC in water, a two-stage technique is proposed to deposit Ni-P-SiC coating with a high particle content to achieve low friction against SiC in water. The process comprises the electrophoretic deposition of SiC particles layer on a mild steel substrate followed by the electroless plating of NiP coating. The effects of SiC content on the surface appearance, phase structure and cohesive strength were studied. Much attention was paid on the friction behavior of the coatings in water. Experiment results show that compared with the traditional electroless plating method, the two-stage technique can enhance the implanted SiC particle content effectively. Notable, with the increasing of SiC content, the friction coefficient decreases correspondingly and the lowest friction coefficient of 0.015 can be achieved for the Ni-P-SiC coatings with the highest SiC particle content. The major surface degradation mode is abrasive wear during running-in then tribochemical wear dominates at the low friction stage.

Simulation and experimental study on milling mechanism and tool wear of low volume SiCp/Al composites

Silicon carbide particles reinforced aluminum matrix composites are widely used in national defense and related high-end technology fields due to their excellent mechanical properties. To explore the milling mechanism and tool wear mechanism of low-volume SiCp/Al composites in high velocity milling, the milling experiments for 20% volume SiCp/Al2009 composites were performed using a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tools. A three-dimensional milling model of SiCp/Al composite was established considering the random distribution of SiC particles, the influence of milling parameters on surface quality was comprehensively analyzed and its cutting mechanism was described, and the wear forms and mechanism of PCD tools were revealed during milling of SiCp/Al composites. The result showed that the cutting depth is the main factor affecting the machined surface quality, followed by the spindle speed, and the feed rate has the smallest effect on it. It was observed that when spindle speed ( n) was 17,000 r/min, the feed rate ( f) was 8 mm/min, the depth of cut ( ap) was 0.04 mm, the surface roughness value was the smallest, Ra was 0.056 μm. The surface morphology was mainly manifested as pits, cracks, burrs, and so on, subsurface defects included particle breakage, peeling, and matrix cracks, and the tool wear forms included chipping, flaking, and bond wear.

Synthesis of Ti3SiC2 Phases and Consolidation of MAX/SiC Composites-Microstructure and Mechanical Properties.

The article describes the Ti3SiC2 powder synthesis process. The influence of the molar ratio and two forms of carbon on the phase composition of the obtained powders was investigated. The synthesis was carried out using a spark plasma sintering (SPS) furnace. In addition, using the obtained powders, composites reinforced with SiC particles were produced. The obtained results showed no effect of the carbon form and a significant impact of annealing on the purity of the powders after synthesis. The composites were also consolidated using an SPS furnace at two temperatures of 1300 and 1400 °C. The tests showed low density and hardness for sinters from 1300 °C (maximum 3.97 g/cm3 and 447 HV5, respectively, for composite reinforced with 10% SiC). These parameters significantly increase for composites sintered at 1400 °C (maximum density 4.43 g/cm3 and hardness 1153 HV5, for Ti3AlC2-10% SiC). In addition, the crack propagation analysis showed mechanisms typical for granular materials and laminates.

Effect of SiC particle size on the strength and stiffness of porous Si3N4–SiC composites fabricated via a low-temperature sintering process

Porous Si3N4–SiC composites are potentially very attractive in various applications such as chemical-gas industries, nuclear power plants, automobile industries, and as heat-absorbing materials for solar thermal power plants and electromagnetic radiation shielding materials for commercial and military applications. The fabrication of these advanced composites generally requires expensive raw materials and very high temperatures necessitating advanced sintering techniques, thereby making these materials very expensive. Within the scope of this work, a novel technique for fabricating these porous composites at a low temperature of 1200 °C using phosphoric acid both as a binder and pore former has been proposed. Two different Si3N4–SiC composites with different SiC particle sizes and varying SiC content, with overall porosities in the range of 33–43 vol%, have been fabricated. A detailed study of the influence of the composites’ composition on their microstructure and mechanical properties has been carried out. The results show that both the SiC particle size and its content strongly influence the strength, stiffness, and elastic anisotropy of the fabricated composites. The most optimum composition resulting in the best combination of stiffness and strength in the porous composites has been identified. This yields a longitudinal elastic constant of 50 GPa, a flexural strength of ∼80 MPa, and compressive strength of ∼200 MPa. These values fare well in comparison to porous Si3N4–SiC composites reported in the literature, albeit fabricated at much higher temperatures in comparison to this work. The strength and stiffness of the porous composite with composition Si3N4-20 vol% fine SiC are considerably higher than monolithic porous Si3N4.

Effect of SiC particulates on fracture toughness of an Al-1.5% Mg matrix composite.

تمت دراسة صلابة الكسر في PMMCs SiC-Al-1.5٪ Mg. تم تحضير MMCs بالطريقة التقليدية في صب الضجة. كان محتوى الجسيمات المسخن مسبقًا SiC متنوعًا من 2 ، 4 ، 6 إلى 8 بالوزن٪ وكان متوسط حجمها 53 ميكرومتر. لقد لاحظنا أن صلابة الكسر قد انخفضت بسبب زيادة وزن كربيد السيليكون. كما تم فحص الصلابة وبيان زيادة صلابة المادة المركبة مع زيادة وزن كربيد كربيد الصوديوم.تم أيضًا فحص اختبار حيود الأشعة السينية على سبيكة المصفوفة وجسيم SiC ومواد التعزيز من أجل دراسة المراحل التي يتم إنتاجها في بنية MMCs. تبين أن هناك اتصال جيد تم إنتاجه بينهما.

Synthesis of C/SiC Mixtures for Composite Anodes of Lithium-Ion Power Sources

Nowadays, research aimed at the development of materials with increased energy density for lithium-ion batteries are carried out all over the world. Composite anode materials based on Si and C ultrafine particles are considered promising due to their high capacity. In this work, a new approach for carbothermal synthesis of C/SiC composite mixtures with SiC particles of fibrous morphology with a fiber diameter of 0.1–2.0 μm is proposed. The synthesis was carried out on natural raw materials (quartz and graphite) without the use of complex equipment and an argon atmosphere. Using the proposed method, C/SiC mixture as well as pure SiC were synthesized and used to manufacture anode half-cells of lithium-ion batteries. The potential use of the resulting mixtures as anode material for lithium-ion battery was shown. Energy characteristics of the mixtures were determined. After 100 cycles, pure SiC reached a discharge capacity of 180 and 138 mAh g−1 at a current of C/20 and C, respectively, and for the mixtures of (wt%) 29.5C–70.5 SiC and 50Si–14.5C–35.5SiC discharge capacity of 328 and 400 mAh g−1 at a current of C/2 were achieved. The Coulombic efficiency of the samples during cycling was over 99%.

Effect of the pin temperature and SiC reinforcement on dry sliding tribological behavior of aluminium based silicon carbide metal matrix composite (Al-SiC) using Taguchi approach

This paper deals with the replacement of existing brake pad material based on its highest strength and stiffness-to-weight ratio. To overcome this problem, we have investigated the input process parameters: silicon carbide weight percentage, normal pressure, sliding speed or distance, and temperature, all of which affect tribological properties. The tribological behavior of an aluminum-based silicon carbide metal matrix (Al-SiC) is investigated at elevated temperatures in this study. The metal matrix composite brake pad material has been introduced recently due to its cost-effectiveness, stable coefficient of friction, lower wear rate, and constant contact pressure at high temperatures. In this investigation, an LM25-SiC composite was fabricated using the stir casting technique, in which SiC particles were reinforced at 5%, 10%, and 15% by weight in the base alloy LM25. The investigation was carried out for friction and wear studies on a pin on a disc tester at elevated temperatures for different loads and sliding distances. The investigation using the design of experimentation highlighted by the Taguchi technique highlights the effectiveness of replacing existing brake pad material. The experimental results show improved mechanical properties due to the addition of SiC, and it is also observed that a 15% SiC addition to base metal gives optimal sliding wear.

Effect of reinforcement types on the ball milling behavior and mechanical properties of 2024Al matrix composites

In this paper, 2024 Al matrix composites reinforced by nanocrystalline high-entropy alloy particles (NC-HEAp), SiC particles, and coarse-grained high-entropy alloy particles (CG-HEAp) were fabricated via powder metallurgy, and a comparative study of different reinforcements was deeply conducted. The results showed that reinforcement types significantly influenced the morphology of composite powders, and the grain size and interfacial condition of composites. After ball milling, irregular granular NC-HEA-Al and SiC–Al composite powders were produced while the CG-HEA-Al composite powders exhibited flake shapes, and particle size of NC-HEAp sharply decreased and was significantly smaller than the other two reinforcements. The Cu-rich diffusion layer, a high dislocation density, and a thin oxide layer were formed in the interfaces of NC-HEA-Al, SiC–Al, and CG-HEA-Al composites, respectively. The NC-HEA-Al composite possessed the highest strength due to the best effect of grain refinement, while the SiC–Al composite displayed better ductility attributed to higher work hardening rate after the yield stage than that of the NC-HEA-Al composite. The CG-HEA-Al composites showed the least attractive mechanical properties, related to a poor interface bonding and pre-existing cracks in CG-HEAp. Furthermore, the differences in strengthening mechanisms of the three composites were also discussed. This work provides guidelines for designing metal matrix composites fabricated by powder metallurgy.

Optimization of stirrer parameters by Taguchi method for a better ceramic particle stirring performance in the production of Aluminum Alloy Matrix Composite

Aluminum alloy ceramic matrix composites have become widely used in a variety of sectors and will grow in the future with the growth of measures to reduce environmental pollution and the necessity to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Stir casting is the most cost-effective method for mass-producing Aluminum Alloy Matrix Composite; however, it still has certain challenges that need to optimize for its performance. The current gap is to anticipate, recognize, and strive to minimize casting flaws during the liquid phase. Taguchi method for the design of the experiment was used to optimize the stirrer parameters. The signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio (larger is better), hardness, and ultimate tensile strength were employed as response output variables. In this work, it was confirmed that the mechanical properties of aluminum alloys can be enhanced better if the method of adding SiC and SiO2 particles as ceramic reinforcements is improved. The contribution of three parameters in enhancing mechanical properties has been identified. The research proved that there is a significant relationship between the Stirrer Design and the mechanical properties. The optimal stirrer design (D5) for mixing ceramic reinforcements with melted aluminum alloy has been chosen from different designs. Mechanical properties under the effect of the most important stirring parameters have been explained. Finally, adding silicon carbide instead of silica sand enhances the mechanical properties even further.

High-density crack-resistant Si-C microparticles for lithium ion batteries

Hollow-structured silicon-carbon composite particles are regarded as advanced anode materials for lithium-ion battery (LIBs) due to their superior expansion-buffering capability. However, the hollow structures compromise particle density and its benefits are diminished by the potential pore collapses due to electrode calendaring and cell operation. Herein, we report stuffed high-density Si-C particles that can suffice to be crack-resistant and deliver highly reversible Li-storage performances. This was achieved by implanting Si particles into a dual-layered carbon matrix comprised of a porous interior and a compact exterior. The compact exterior prevents electrolyte permeation, while the porous interior accommodates the Si expansion. Such structure allows an intraparticle “on-site voiding” mechanism, leading to anti-cracking and low swelling of Si-C electrode. The resulting Si-C particles possess high tap density (0.86 g/cc), low specific surface area (3.3 m2/g), and the Si-C/graphite mixture anode delivers capacity retention of 96.2% after 200 cycles. Paired with high-mass-loading LiFePO4, the full cells display 70.6% capacity retention over 200 cycles under industry-viable electrode metrics (1.20 g/cm3 for SiCG-600 and 2.40 g/cm3 for LFP, 1.88 mAh/cm2). This gives rise to 18.3% energy density improvement as compared to graphite || LiFePO4 battery. Herein, this study shed light on designing dense particles for practical high-energy LIBs.

Characteristics of Al6061-SiC-Al2O3 Surface Hybrid Composites Fabricated by Friction Stir Processing

Friction stir processing (FSP) has successfully evolved as an alternative technique of fabricating metal matrix composites. (MMC). FSP has been used positively to produce surface composite that offer good surface properties such as higher hardness and wear resistance, also help in the development of finer-grain structure during thermomechanical processing of the material. This work aims to fabricate a surface composite upon the AA6061-T6 Al alloy via FSP. The effect of SiC and/or Al2O3 particles on microstructure, microhardness, and wear behavior of the surface composite was investigated. Many drilled holes were made to incorporate the ceramic particles within the matrix at the optimal friction stir processing circumstances, The optimal parameters of (FSP) were (32 mm ̸min), (1250 rpm), and (2) passes in a similar track.. It was obtained that the maximum microhardness being in the stir zone center of FSP of the base alloy and all composites. The results of XRD and EDX mapping confirmed the incorporation of SiC and Al2O3 particles within the surface of Al alloy using FSP which will improve the surface properties. The improvement in microhardness was (89.3%) in the case of FSP composite sample reinforced with hybrid addition (SiC+Al2O3) particles in comparison to FSP unreinforced base alloy (75 HV). It was showed that the wear resistance of the FSP composite sample reinforced with hybrid addition of (Al2O3 and SiC ) particles was slightly better than that of the FSP composite sample reinforced with single Al2O3 or SiC particles and base Al alloy.

Study on explosive emission characteristics of the silicon carbide modified graphite cathodes with varied morphologies

Explosive emission cathodes are extensively used in high power microwave sources. Growing requirements are highlighted in the performance of the explosive emission cathode with the development of the high power microwave technology. In order to improve the emission properties of the graphite cathode, modifications using SiC particles or whiskers are carried out by the in situ chemical vapor reaction method. The experiments demonstrate that SiC whiskers accelerate the explosive emission turn-on speed of the graphite cathode for large field enhancement factors and improve the emission uniformity due to the surface flashover plasma generation mechanism. SiC particles increase the emission capability of the graphite cathode, possibly corresponding to the dielectric properties of SiC particles. These results suggest that the SiC whiskers modified graphite cathode is suitable for applications under low magnetic field and large emission area conditions, while the SiC particles modified graphite cathode has a brighter application prospect in the long-time stable operation.

The influence of carbide reinforcement on the properties of sintered aluminium alloy matrix composites

Based on the commercial aluminium alloy powder blend (Alumix 431D) metal matrix composites reinforced with particles of SiC as well as TiC were produced by conventional powder metallurgy technology and the effect of the type and amounts of reinforced particles on the selected properties and microstructure of sintered composites were investigated. In particular, the densification behaviour, the wear resistance and the corrosion resistance in 3.5% NaCl solution were identified. It was stated that both the type and the weight fraction of carbide used as particulate reinforcement have a great impact on the properties of aluminium alloy matrix composites. It was shown that the introduction of titanium carbide has a more favourable effect on the properties of sintered Alumix 431D matrix composites in comparison to silicon carbide and the optimum content of TiC in composite is 4 wt. % due to the highest hardness, wear resistance (wear rate of 2.86510-3 mm3/m) and simultaneously the best corrosion resistance (corrosion rate of 0.005 mm/year).

Effectuates of Direct Particle Injection Friction Stir Process tool for the Al/SiC surface coating fabrication

The Project is investigated the Direct Particle Injection Friction Stir Processing Tool (DPI-FSP) fabricating the Al/SiC Surface Coating (SC). The FSP using vertical milling machine which was performed the tool rotation speed 1000 rpm at traverse feed 20 mm/min.Peculiarity of the tool is the deletion of material preparation (Making grooves or Drill hole for filling the reinforcement particles) and continuously injected the reinforced particles during the process. The tool is fabricated the thin surface coating of Al/SiC. As a result, The micrograph is revealed that homogenous distribution of SiC particles and peneterated 340 µm thick on the surface matrix . The SC exhibited 55% of the increase in hardness as compared the base material. The X-ray diffraction results are showed that the no intermetallic was discovered besides the SiC particles. The SC wear test results is exhibited the superior frictional coefficient of 0.71 than the Empty Pass.

Additive manufacturing SiC-reinforced maraging steel: Parameter optimisation, microstructure and properties

The unique deposition manner of additive manufacturing (AM) allows the near-net-shaping of components with multiple materials configurations and complex geometries, which sheds light on the process of high-performance metal matrix composites (MMCs). This work explores laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) AM of SiC-reinforced maraging steel MMCs to consolidate the merits of both ceramics and metal matrix for improving overall properties. The laser processing parameters were systematically optimised based on the density, roughness and hardness of the deposited samples. The effects of SiC content on the microstructures, mechanical properties, tribological performance, and wear resistance are elucidated. SiC particles are refined with uniform distribution in the metal matrix after laser processing. The highest tensile strength reaches 1611 ​MPa together with an elongation of about 10.1% with 3 ​vol% SiC addition. The tribological performance of MMCs is investigated by studying the coefficient of friction (COF), wear rate, and worn morphology. The COF has been slightly reduced with the SiC addition, and the wear rate of MS reduced from 3.25 ​× ​10 −5 to 1.72 ​× ​10 −5 mm 3 /Nm with the 12 ​vol% SiC addition. The underlying wear mechanisms are also investigated. Besides, the corrosion behaviour of MMCs is also investigated; the addition of SiC (≥6 ​vol%) has improved the corrosion properties of the matrix.

Reversing silicon carbide into 1D silicon nanowires and graphene-like structures using a dynamic magnetic flux template.

A dynamic magnetic flux template (DMT) method was developed to reverse silicon carbide (SiC) into amorphous silicon nanowires (a-SiNWs) and graphene-like structures driven by both heating and a dynamic magnetic field. The DMT served as a growth template for silicon nanowires, exhibiting an elongated life-time as an anode in a Li-ion battery.

Manufacturing of AA7075 Aluminum Alloy Composites Reinforced by Nanosized Particles of SiC, TiN, and ZnO by High-Energy Ball Milling and Hot Extrusion

Manufacturing of AA7075 Aluminum Alloy Composites Reinforced by Nanosized Particles of SiC, TiN, and ZnO by High-Energy Ball Milling and Hot Extrusion

Surface and subsurface formation mechanism of SiCp/Al composites under ultrasonic scratching

Rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) is an effective method of high-quality and high-efficiency machining for advanced composites. However, the machining mechanism and kinematic characteristics of ultrasonic machining of SiC particles-reinforced aluminum matrix (SiC p /Al) composites are yet unclear, limiting the applications of RUM in composites machining. In this study, a rotary ultrasonic vibration-assisted scratch (RUVAS) test was designed for the high-volume fraction of SiC p /Al composites. The kinematic and scratch force model of RUVAS was developed to describe the scratch process of SiC p /Al. Both RUVAS and conventional scratch (CS) tests were performed under various scratch speeds on SiC p /Al. The scratch trajectory was divided into three modes: continuous, semi-continuous, and intermittent. We observed the formation of different surface morphology under different modes. The scratch force difference between RUVAS and CS was insignificant when the scratch speed is high, which indicated that the effect of ultrasonic vibration diminished at a high speed when the ultrasonic frequency was fixed. When assisted by ultrasonic vibration, the scratch morphology of SiC p /Al indicated that the matrix has undergone significant plastic deformation. While the hard SiC particles tended to be ruptured and pressed into the plastic matrix, this mechanism can effectively suppress the initiation and propagation of cracks, which is beneficial to reducing the stress influence zone, healing the surface defects, and improving the surface integrity. The subsurface morphology indicates that the subsurface damage under CS and RUVAS mainly includes particle cracking, matrix tearing, and interface failure. Our experimental result shows that ultrasonic vibration can effectively reduce the subsurface damage of SiC p /Al composites, bringing insight into fundamental mechanisms of ultrasonic machining and providing guidance for the vibration-assisted processing of SiC p /Al composites.

Effect of nanoparticles and multipass friction stir processing on microstructure and mechanical properties of AA7475

The base metal, AA7475, initially contained nanoparticles of SiC within a coarse dendritic structure. The multipass FSP (MPFSP) process successfully broke these coarse and dendritic clusters, resulting in a homogenous microstructure in the stir zone. This inhibition led to a continual reduction in grain size. The presence of SiC reinforcement particles also played a role in imbvproving the microstructure and tensile properties of the MPFSP/SiC composite. The optimal process parameters for MPFSP/SiC on AA7475 were identified as a rotational tool speed of 1500 rpm, welding speed of 40 mm/min, and a tilt angle of 2°. As the number of FSP passes increased, the agglomeration of SiC particles reduced, further enhancing the dispersion. Before MPFSP/SiC, the base metal AA7475 exhibited a tensile strength of 410±5 MPa and a % strain of 10.83±0.3. However, after MPFSP/SiC, the tensile strength increased with the number of FSP passes. The highest tensile strength of 521±8 MPa was observed after the 5 th pass of FSP. This increase in tensile strength was attributed to the presence of fine grains formed through the DRX mechanism during the MPFSP process.