Silicon carbide particle-reinforced MMCs

Meial Mairix Composites. Silicon carbide particles are contributing to easy-to-cast metal-matrix composites (MMCs). When compared with their non-reinforced counterparts, the SiCp/Al components are more wear resistant, stiffer, and stronger, accompanied by improved thermal stability. Additional advantages include lower density and lower cost. Nearly all prior aluminum MMCs required labor-intensive methods, such as powder metallurgy, diffusion bonding, squeeze casting, or thermal spraying. 

The key particle-reinforced MMCs, include titanium carbide-reinforced steel, aluminum reinforced with silicon carbide and with alumina particles, titanium carbide particle-reinforced titanium, and titanium boride-reinforced titanium. 

MMCs are typically alloys of aluminum reinforced with ceramic particles (usually silicon carbide). This composite material combination has the lightness of aluminum but the strength and temperature resistance of cast iron. Consequently, MMCs have tremendous potential in the automotive and aerospace industries for the replacement of cast iron to considerably reduce weight. 

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are metals that are reinforced with fibers or particles that usually are stiff, strong, and lightweight. The fibers and particles can be metal (e.g., tungsten), nonmetal (e.g., carbon or boron), or ceramic (e.g., silicon carbide (SiC) or (alumina) AljOj). The purpose for reinforcing metals with fibers or particles is to create composites that have properties more useful than that of the individual constituents. For example, fibers and particles are used in MMCs to increase stiffness [/], strength [f ], and thermal conductivity [2], and to reduce weight [f], thermal expansion [3], fiiction [4], and wear [5]. 

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