Stainless steel fibre reinforced aluminium matrix composites processed by squeeze casting : relationship between processing conditions and interfacial microstructure

C. COLIN; Y. MARCHAL; F. BOLAND; F. DELANNAY

doi:doi:10.1051/jp4:19937276

Numéro		J. Phys. IV France Volume 03, Numéro C7, Novembre 1993 The 3rd European Conference on Advanced Materials and Processes Troisiéme Conférence Européenne sur les Matériaux et les Procédés Avancés


Page(s)		C7-1749 - C7-1752
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:19937276

The 3rd European Conference on Advanced Materials and Processes
Troisiéme Conférence Européenne sur les Matériaux et les Procédés Avancés

J. Phys. IV France 03 (1993) C7-1749-C7-1752
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:19937276

Stainless steel fibre reinforced aluminium matrix composites processed by squeeze casting : relationship between processing conditions and interfacial microstructure

C. COLIN¹, Y. MARCHAL², F. BOLAND² and F. DELANNAY²

¹ On leave from Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris, Centre des Matériaux P.M. Fourt
² Université Catholique de Louvain, Département des Sciences des Matériaux et des Procédés, PCIM, Place Sainte Barbe 2, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

Abstract
This work investigates the influence of some processing parameters on the extent of interfacial reaction in squeeze cast aluminium matrix composites reinforced with 12 µm diameter, continuous stainless steel fibres. The average thickness of the reaction layer at fibre/matrix interfaces was measured by image analysis. When casting was made in a die at room temperature, the thickness of the reaction layer was affected on a distance of several mm from the lateral surface or from the bottom of the preform. The results indicate that the major part of the reaction occurs before solidification of the liquid metal. The control of the extent of interfacial reaction can be achieved through optimization of both infiltration parameters and features of the preform such as the volume fraction of the fibres.