Transit Simulation Analysis for the Pressure Infiltration of Aluminum Melts Into Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) possess superior modulus and strength due to the presence of the reinforce phase in the matrix metal in the form of short or long fibers and particles. Pressure infiltration can produce metal matrix composites containing much high volume fractions of reinforcement in the matrix. This process was recognized as one of the competitive routes to produce near-net shape MMC structures and has achieved successful commercial applications. A transit numerical simulation study is presented for tracking interfaces of two phases for the analysis of pressure infiltrating high-conductivity reinforcement carbon fibers by a molten metal under high-applied pressure conditions. The interface tracking method uses piecewise linear (PLIC) volume-of-fluid (VOF) methods with two-dimensional mesh. The method is coupled with the continuum surface force (CSF) algorithm for surface force modeling, a multi-grid solver support the resolution of large density ratio between the fluid and air. A fine scale infiltration filling flow phenomena between the fibers was solved so that the process parameters can be optimized to cast fibrous MMC engineering structures with fine and pore-free microstructure as well as satisfaction mechanical properties.