The Microstructure-Processing-Property Relationships in an Al Matrix Composite System Reinforced by Al-Cu-Fe Alloy Particles
- Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
Metal matrix composites (MMC), especially Al matrix composites, received a lot of attention during many years of research because of their promise for the development of automotive and aerospace materials with improved properties and performance, such as lighter weight and better structural properties, improved thermal conductivity and wear resistance. In order to make the MMC materials more viable in various applications, current research efforts on the MMCs should continue to focus on two important aspects, including improving the properties of MMCs and finding more economical techniques to produce MMCs. Solid state vacuum sintering was studied in tap densified Al powder and in hot quasi-isostatically forged samples composed of commercial inert gas atomized or high purity Al powder, generated by a gas atomization reaction synthesis (GARS) technique. The GARS process results in spherical Al powder with a far thinner surface oxide. The overall results indicated the enhanced ability of GARS-processed Al and Al alloy powders for solid state sintering, which may lead to simplification of current Al powder consolidation processing methods. Elemental Al-based composites reinforced with spherical Al-Cu-Fe alloy powders were produced by quasi-isostatic forging and vacuum hot pressing (VHP) consolidation methods. Microstructures and tensile properties of AYAl-Cu-Fe composites were characterized. It was proved that spherical Al-Cu-Fe alloy powders can serve as an effective reinforcement particulate for elemental Al-based composites, because of their high hardness and a preferred type of matrix/reinforcement interfacial bonding, with reduced strain concentration around the particles. Ultimate tensile strength and yield strength of the composites were increased over the corresponding Al matrix values, far beyond typical observations. This remarkable strengthening was achieved without precipitation hardening and without severe strain hardening during consolidation because of the matrix choice (elemental Al) and the ''low shear'' consolidation methods utilized. This reinforcement effectiveness is further evidenced by elastic modulus measurements of the composites that are very close to the upper bound predictions of the rule of mixtures. The load partitioning measurements by neutron diffraction showed that composite samples made from GARS powders present significantly higher load transfer efficiency than the composites made from commercially atomized powders. Also, the composite samples made from GARS powders show a higher strengthening effect and ductility than the samples made from commercial purity powders. The higher load transfer efficiency and higher strength and ductility may result from an enhanced inter-particle bonding strength, promoted by the ''clean'' interfaces between particles. Further analysis of the load sharing measurements and the calculated values of the mismatch of coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and the geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) effects suggest that these strengthening mechanisms can be combined to predict accurately the strength of the composites.
- Research Organization:
- Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-Eng-82
- OSTI ID:
- 835313
- Report Number(s):
- IS-T 1983; TRN: US200501%%253
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 19 Dec 2004
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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