Powder metallurgy of Al-based metal matrix composites reinforced with β-Al3Mg2 intermetallic particles: Analysis and modeling of mechanical properties

✍ Scribed by S. Scudino; G. Liu; M. Sakaliyska; K.B. Surreddi; J. Eckert

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 704 KB
• Volume: 57
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1359-6454
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2009.06.017

✦ Synopsis

In order to analyze the effectiveness of complex metallic alloys as reinforcing agents in metal matrix composites, Al-based composites were synthesized by hot extrusion of elemental Al blended with different amounts of b-Al 3 Mg 2 complex intermetallic particles. The work focuses on two specific aspects: evaluation of the mechanical properties through room temperature compression tests and modeling of the resulting properties. The b-Al 3 Mg 2 reinforcement remarkably improves the mechanical properties of pure Al. In particular, the composites with 20 and 40 vol.% reinforcement display yield and compressive strengths exceeding that of pure Al by a factor of 2-3, while retaining appreciable plastic deformation ranging between 45% and 15%. Moreover, the addition of low-density b-Al 3 Mg 2 particles significantly increases the specific strength of the composites. Finally, modeling of the mechanical properties reveals that the matrix ligament size plays a dominant role for affecting the properties of the composites.