Fabrication of SiC–Aluminum Composites via Binder Jetting 3D Printing and Infiltration: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

The objective of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of producing SiC–aluminum composites by the binder jetting 3D printing of SiC preforms and spontaneous infiltration by aluminum. SiC preforms fabricated using binder jetting 3D printing were subjected to several post-processing steps (including curing, depowdering, debinding, and sintering). Sintering was conducted at 1700 °C, and aluminum infiltrating was conducted at 1000 °C, with both carried out in a controlled nitrogen environment under a pressure of 25 psi. The bulk density of the sintered SiC preforms was increased by 14% after infiltration. X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the presence of aluminum in the SiC matrix. This paper is the first to report fabricating SiC–aluminum composites by binder jetting and infiltrating, providing a new approach to producing these composites with potential applications in the aerospace and automotive industries.