Synthesis, characterisation and mechanical properties of SiC reinforced Al based nanocomposites processed by MA and SPS

    Authors

    N. Al-Aqeeli; K. Abdullahi; A. S. Hakeem; C. Suryanarayana; T. Laoui;S. Nouari

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Powder Metall.

    Keywords

    Aluminium alloys; Silicon carbide; Mechanical alloying; Spark plasma; sintering; Microstructure; Hardness; STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION; MATRIX COMPOSITES; PARTICLES; POWDERS; ALLOYS; Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering

    Abstract

    Al based alloys reinforced with different amounts (5, 12 and 20 wt-%) of nanosized SiC particulates were synthesised by mechanical alloying and consolidated by the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The distribution of the reinforcement phase in the composite was evaluated as a function of the milling time and the amount of SiC. The processed materials were characterised by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy for the morphology and composition and X-ray diffraction. Continuous reduction in crystallite size was observed as milling progressed and after milling for 20 h the resulting powders reached a grain size of < 100 nm. These Al-SiC composites were successfully consolidated by the SPS method at different sintering temperatures of 400, 450 and 500 degrees C. It is suggested that a higher hardness can be achieved even at 20 wt-% SiC when a higher sintering temperature, for example, above 500 degrees C, is used.

    Journal Title

    Powder Metallurgy

    Volume

    56

    Issue/Number

    2

    Publication Date

    1-1-2013

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    149

    Last Page

    157

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000318021100024

    ISSN

    0032-5899

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