skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Infiltration of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} short-fiber preforms during squeeze

Conference ·
OSTI ID:186743
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom)
  2. Lucas Advanced Engineering Centre, Solihull (United Kingdom)

This paper describes a series of experiments designed to investigate the process of infiltrating a commercial A357 Al-7wt%Si-0.6wt%Mg alloy into Saffil 20vol% 3--3.5 {micro}m mean diameter, 500 {micro}m mean length discontinuous Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} fiber preforms during squeeze casting with applied pressures of 0--100 MPa, melt temperatures of 700--900 C and die and preform temperatures of 300 C. The main conclusions are: (1) in melt infiltration and squeeze casting, presolidification of the liquid alloy takes place during the time delay between die filling and pressurization; (2) presolidification forms a shell of coarse columnar grains of {alpha}-Al dendrites; (3) the remaining solute enriched liquid infiltrates the preform leading to macrosegregation within the composite; (4) needle-like primary FeSiAl{sub 5} and blocky primary (FeMn){sub 3}Si{sub 2}Al{sub 15} intermetallics, formed by enrichment of the solute during the time delay, are filtered during infiltration at the composite/monolithic interface; (5) stresses build up within the preform, leading to cracks and fragmentation particularly at the locating supports; (6) shrinkage pores, cracks and uninfiltrated regions in the composite are all force fed with eutectic liquid as the pressure builds up at the end of the ram travel; (7) high applied pressure leads to a fine grained structure within the preform, due to increased heat flow rates between the die and the solidifying metal.

OSTI ID:
186743
Report Number(s):
CONF-950201-; ISBN 0-87339-316-3; TRN: IM9609%%15
Resource Relation:
Conference: Annual meeting and exhibition of the Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS), Las Vegas, NV (United States), 12-16 Feb 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Synthesis/processing of lightweight metallic materials. Proceedings; Froes, F.H.; Suryanarayana, C. [eds.] [Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID (United States). Inst. for Materials and Advanced Processes]; Ward-Close, C.M. [ed.] [Defence Research Agency, Farnborough (United Kingdom)]; PB: 380 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Infiltration of Saffil alumina fiber with AlCu and AlSi alloys
Journal Article · Fri Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 1999 · Scripta Materialia · OSTI ID:186743

Prevention of macrosegregation in squeeze casting of an Al-4.5 wt pct Cu alloy
Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998 · Metallurgical and Materials Transactions. A, Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science · OSTI ID:186743

Prevention of macrodefects in squeeze casting of an Al-7 wt pct Si alloy
Journal Article · Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 2000 · Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B: Process Metallurgy and Materials Processing Science · OSTI ID:186743