Production and characterization of in-situ alumina particle reinforced aluminum matrix composites

The development of metal matrix composites (MMCs) has been one of the major innovations in materials in the last 20 years. The early work on composites concentrated on continuous reinforcements, such as graphite and boron fibers. The prohibitive cost of continuous fibers with high mechanical properties restricted their use to aerospace applications. While particle reinforcements cannot provide the property enhancement achieved by continuous fibers, they can provide sufficient improvement in some mechanical and physical properties to provide a useful increase. Particle reinforced MMCs have the added advantage that they can be processed using conventional equipment, and hence, minimize capital costs. Aluminum-based metal matrix composites make up a distinct category of advanced engineering materials that provide unique advantages over conventional Al alloys. With the development of new forming methods and the use of low cost particulate material, the use of these composites is increasing in a wide variety of industries. A new idea to fabricate aluminum matrix composites strengthened by combined in-situ particle strengthening and in-situ alloying has been proposed. Currently, the in-situ method of spreading alumina in aluminum melts that the strengthener particles are formed in melts as the products of the reduction reactions. In-situ technology gives the possibility of producing fine particle in the melt. This technology is extensively utilized to produce particle reinforced metals with an improved interfacial contact between reinforcements and the matrices. In the present work, in-situ method is used to produce alumina particle reinforced aluminum matrix composite. Commercially pure Al was chosen as matrix material and in-situ particle reinforced composite was produced by addition of %5, %10 and %15 weight fraction CuO particles into the molten matrix. After the produce of composite materials are finished, to establish the mechanical and physical properties as hardness, density tests, in addition chemical anlysis and microstructural observation of materials are applied. With these achieved rusults, in the produced composite materials, significant improvements was observed at mechanical properties as comparison to unreinforced matrix material. Thus, with these properties of produced in-situ composite material, it is understood that can be use for several industries may be possible. Keywords: In-Situ, Al-based composites, alumina particle.