A Novel Manufacturing Process for Nanosilica carbide Reinforced Al2024 Matrix Composites

Abstract

The flake powder metallurgy technique described in this paper is used to fabricate Al2024 matrix composites reinforced with SiC nanoparticles that are nearly net-shaped. These composites were tested to see what effect particle size had on the flake Al2024 matrix powders and how much SiC nanoparticles there were distributed throughout the particle distribution, microstructure, relative density, and hardness. Ball milling was used to combine the flake Al2024 matrix powders with three different sizes of as-received Al2024 powders. For example, the Al2024 matrix powders had a flake-like microstructure with dispersed SiC nanoparticles and grain boundaries that contained enough area for the reinforcement particles to be seen during microstructural characterization. There was an increase in hot-pressed density with decreasing matrix size due to frictional forces between the fine flake particles. Hardness increased as Al2024 matrix powder size decreased in Al2024/SiC nanocomposites.