Characterization and Comparison of Aluminum 2-Phase Composites Consisting of Micrometric and Nanometric Ceramic Second Phases Consolidated

摘要

Two-phase composites consisting of 150 (mu)m diameter aluminum powder mechanically mixed with 30 nm and 30 (mu)m diameter SiC and Al_(2)O_(3) powders (in volume fractions of 2, 4, and 21 percent) were green compacted to 80 and 90percent density in steel tubes and explosively consolidated using ammonium nitrate-fuel oil (ANFO). The starting Al powders had a Vickers hardness of 24HV_(25) in contrast to pure Al explosively consolidated reference cylinders with residual hardness of 43HV_(25). Consolidated test cylinders of the pure Al and two-phase composites were characterized by optical metallography and TEM. Average Rockwell hardnesses were also compared with room temperature stress-strain data measured for tensile specimens cut from the test cylinders. The results are compared with rule-of-mixtures formalisms applied to these novel 2-phase systems.