Investigation of Microstructure Inhomogeneity in SiCp-Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composites

Abstract

The type, volume fraction, size, shape and arrangement of embedded particles influence the mechanical properties of the particle reinforced metal matrix composites. This presents the investigation of the SiC particle and porosity distributions in various aluminum matrix composites produced by cold- and hot-pressing. The microstructures were characterized by optical microscopy and stereological parameters. SiC and porosity volume fractions, and the anisotropy distribution function were measured to establish the influence of the consolidation method. The results showed that SiC particles are arranged in a different way during the cold- and hot pressing. The amount of porosity in the hot pressed specimens is always lower than that in the cold pressed ones; however, cold pressed and sintered samples have few large pores whereas more fine pores develop in the hot pressed ones. In the cold pressed specimens, heating rate for sintering influences the final density, the amount of porosity increases parallel to the increase in the relative particle size; and coating of SiC particles with Cu lowers the porosity while Ni-coating does not result in such an effect.