FABRICATION METHODS FOR BORON CARBIDE-ALUMINUM ALLOY METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES

摘要

A method of extruding a boron carbide-aluminum alloy metal matrix composite includes heating the ingots of the composite to temperatures of about 570 °C, holding the ingots at about 570 °C to soften the ingots, placing the ingots in a heated extrusion chamber, and extruding the softened ingots at pressures about 15 % to 20 % higher than typical pressures used to extrude aluminum alloys. A method of casting a boron carbide-aluminum alloy metal matrix composite includes heating ingots of the composite to about 700 °C to melt the ingots, gently stirring the melt, removing dross from the melt, vigorously stirring the melt with an impeller without creating a vortex, degassing the melt with an argon diffuser wand, and continuously removing froth formed during degassing until the rate of froth formation is reduced and the melt gently bubbles.