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EFFECT OF HEAT TREATMENTS ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF Al/SiCp COMPOSITES PREPARED BY NON-ASSISTED INFILTRATION

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 February 2012

R. Martínez-López ,
M. I. Pech-Canul ,
Z. Chaudhury  and
L. A. González
R. Martínez-López
Affiliation:
Centro de investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN Unidad Saltillo, Carretera Saltillo-Monterrey Km 13.5, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, México, C.P. 25900
M. I. Pech-Canul
Affiliation:
Centro de investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN Unidad Saltillo, Carretera Saltillo-Monterrey Km 13.5, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, México, C.P. 25900
Z. Chaudhury
Affiliation:
Materion Corporation, Advanced Materials Technologies and Services, 5520 Midway Park Pl Ne Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA.
L. A. González
Affiliation:
Centro de investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN Unidad Saltillo, Carretera Saltillo-Monterrey Km 13.5, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, México, C.P. 25900
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Abstract

Al/SiCp composites fabricated by the non-assisted infiltration route are attractive materials for various engineering applications. However, the presence of thermal stresses can impair their mechanical properties if they are utilized directly after processing. Therefore, heat treatments are potential solutions to this problem. In this work, the effect of T6-heat-treatment on the microstructure and hardness of Al/50% SiCp composites prepared by the non-assisted infiltration route is investigated. Previous to preform preparation, the SiC powders are coated with colloidal SiO2. Infiltration tests are conducted using two experimental Al-Si-Mg alloys. The composites are sectioned in specimen sizes of 1 cm2 and prepared using standard metallographic procedures. Then they are heat treated performing a solution treatment at 350°C for 3 h and artificial aging at 170°C for 1, 3 and 5 hours. In addition, the specimens are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). They are also characterized in hardness tests, comparing the behavior for the alloy with and without the various treatments. The results show that heat treatments do not affect the matrix/reinforcement interfacial condition and that the undesirable Al4C3 phase is not developed as consequence of thermal treatments. Hardness tests show that for alloy 1 the maximum hardness value is for the solution-heat-treated samples at 350°C and 5 h aging (28.26±4.02 HC); for alloy 2 the maximum hardness is achieved with solution heat treatment at 350°C and 3 h aging (25.86±4.05 HC). For composites processed with alloy1, the maximum hardness is obtained for the solution treated sample at 350 ° C for 3 h (91.8±2.17 HC), whereas for composites processed with alloy 2 the peak hardness is obtained in solution treated samples and aged at 170°C for 1 h (95.2±0.94 HC).

Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1373: Symposium S4 – Advanced Structural Materials—2011 , 2012 , imrc-1373-s4-29
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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References

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