The Stretch, Limit and Path Forward for Particle Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites of 7075 Al-Alloys

Abstract

Al-based metal matrix composites [MMCs] have been the research interest of a wide spectrum of material scientists throughout the world for some over two decades now. The present paper has chosen one alloy system namely the 7xxx series and from an extensive literature review concluded that since the beginning of the new millennium nothing note worthy has been added to the knowledge already gained in the last quarter of the last century except confirm the earlier findings that MMCs if properly fabricated by choosing the processing route and with appropriate size and volume fraction of dispersoids can improve most of the mechanical, corrosion and wear resistant properties of the base alloy. The author’s own research activities using this alloy system for making MMCs that include attempts to improve upon the properties by making composites, ageing and also secondary processing have been included. An attempt has been made to establish the stretch to which improvement is possible in the alloy system by making composites and trying all other routes known for meaningful improvement in properties. Further, the way forward for such particulate composites has been drawn to realise the material scientists’ dream of seeing such MMCs as engineering components. For this, the areas which now need research include mass production of composites, focus on its machining, joining, processing as also reduction in the size of dispersoids are some of the areas that have been identified and discussed in the paper.