Microstructure and mechanical property of compact graphite/6061Al composite prepared by ultra-high pressure sintering

Abstract

Graphite/6061 aluminum (G/6061Al) composites with different content of graphite were ultra-high pressure (UHP)-sintered and hot pressing (HP)-sintered, respectively. The result shows that homogeneous dispersion of graphite flakes in the 6061Al matrix can be achieved using graphite flakes coated by nano-Al particles, both in the UHP-sintered and in the HP-sintered composite. Due to the comprehensive effects of ultra-high pressure, high temperature and formation of Al4C3, the UHP-sintered composites endowed with higher relative density, higher hardness, stronger tensile strength and better wear resistance than the HP-sintered composite. The highest tensile strength of the UHP-sintered with 5 vol.% graphite is 183 MPa. Wear test reveals that the wear rate of the UHP sintered with 10 vol.% G/6061Al decreases drastically when the sintering temperature is 650 °C or higher, which is one to three orders of magnitude lower than that of the HP-sintered. The lowest wear rate of the UHP sintered with 10 vol.% graphite is 0.15 × 10-5 g/mm, while that of the HP-sintered composite is 133 × 10-5 g/mm.