Influence of size and volume fraction of SiC particulates on properties of ex situ reinforced Al–4.5Cu–3Mg metal matrix composite prepared by direct metal laser sintering process

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Vol. 527; no. 18-19; pp. 4694 - 4701
• Main Authors: Ghosh, Subrata Kumar, Saha, Partha, Kishore, Shyam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15.07.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aluminum; Aluminum base alloys; Applied sciences; Carbides; Density; Dispersion hardening metals; DMLS; Exact sciences and technology; Laser sintering; Metal matrix composites; Metals. Metallurgy; Microhardness; Microstructure; MMC; Nd:YAG laser; Particulate composites; Particulates; Powder metallurgy. Composite materials; Production techniques; Selective laser sintering; SiCp; Silicon carbide; DMLS; Nd:YAG laser; MMC; Selective laser sintering; SiCp; Grain size; Scanning electron microscopy; Particle size; Aluminium base alloys; Volume fraction; Metal matrix composite; Microhardness; Composite material; Dispersion strengthened metal; Inorganic compound; Thermal expansion; Silicon carbide; Size effect; Porosity; Microstructure; Crack
• ISSN: 0921-5093; 1873-4936
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2010.03.108

Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process has a great potential to prepare metal matrix composites (MMCs) in fabrication of arbitrary shaped jobs through rapid manufacturing. In the present work, silicon carbide particulates reinforced aluminium based metal matrix composite was developed by direct metal laser sintering process. Influences of SiC particulate (SiCp) on density, porosity and microhardness of the composite were investigated. It shows that SiCp having 300 mesh size provides higher density and lower porosity because of lower clustering effect. Higher microhardness was achieved at 1200 mesh of reinforcement because of lower grain size. Microhardness increases with increase of volume fraction of SiCp and higher value was achieved at high reinforcement content of 30vol.%. Microstructure was studied through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray elemental mapping. Interfacial microstructure was also investigated and cracks were found in number of cases due to difference between co-efficient of thermal expansion of matrix alloy and SiCp.