STATIC AND DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF Mg/CERAMIC MMCs

摘要

Owing to their attractive properties, particle reinforced, metal matrix composites (MMCs) have shown viability in many applications, including components for thermal management, precision equipment, automotive, aerospace, wear and armor. The vast majority of work to date has examined Al-based MMCs. The present work studies Mg-based MMCs. Mg, due to its low density compared to Al, is more attractive for weight critical applications. Mechanical and physical properties of these materials can be tailored via control of reinforcement chemistry, size, and content; alloy chemistry; and heat treatment. The present study produced Mg MMCs with three different reinforcement chemistries (B_4C, SiC and Al_2O_3). Microstructures, static properties, and dynamic properties (i.e., ballistic resistance) were characterized. Finally, to understand the effect of reduced density, a comparison to results obtained on similar Al-based MMCs was made.