Development of Short Carbon Fiber Reinforced Aluminium Matrix Composites by Low Pressure Infiltration Process

Abstract

Short carbon fiber reinforced aluminium based matrix composites were fabricated by a low-pressure infiltration process. This study is amid for development of short carbon fiber reinforced aluminium matrix composites. Short carbon fibers of 10 vol.% was used to preparing preforms for the low-pressure infiltration process. Afterwards, pure Al and Aluminium alloy under temperature of 1073K were infiltrated into the preforms under an applied pressure of 0.4MPa. Microstructure and Vickers hardness as well as microstructure-property relationships of these materials were studied. Microstructure observations indicated that: The SiO2 binder was coating on the surface of short carbon fiber and distributed at the corner of carbon fibers in preforms. Short carbon fibers were homogeneously distributed in the matrix. Furthermore, properties of short carbon fiber reinforced pure Al and A336 alloy composites showed that: The relative density was 95.8% and 97.2%, respectively. Hardness of short carbon fiber reinforced pure Al composite increased by 76% comparing to the base pure Al, and short carbon fiber reinforced A336 alloy composite increased by 10% comparing to the A336 alloy.