Fabrication and properties of Al-TiAl3-Al2O3 composites with high content of reinforcing particles by accumulative roll-bonding and spark plasma sintering

• Published in: Materials today communications Vol. 24; p. 101060
• Main Authors: Zhang, G.P., Mei, Q.S., Li, C.L., Chen, F., Mei, X.M., Li, J.Y., Ruan, X.F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2020
• Subjects: Accumulative roll bonding; Mechanical properties; Metal matrix composites; Microstructure; Solid state reaction; Spark plasma sintering; Mechanical properties; Metal matrix composites; Spark plasma sintering; Microstructure; Solid state reaction; Accumulative roll bonding
• ISSN: 2352-4928; 2352-4928
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtcomm.2020.101060

•Al-TiAl3-Al2O3 in situ composites were fabricated by combining ARB and SPS.•The total volume fraction of TiAl3 and Al2O3 particles is 66.1–81.5 %.•TiAl3 and Al2O3 particles were distributed uniformly.•The microhardness of the composites is as high as ∼532 HV.•The composites show high strengths at ambient and elevated temperatures. It has been expected that mechanical properties of a composite can be enhanced effectively by increasing the content of reinforcing particles to high levels, for which a simultaneous fulfillment of high content and uniform distribution of reinforcing particles is key. In this study, we fabricated Al-TiAl3-Al2O3 composites from starting materials of Al sheets and TiO2 nanopowders by combining accumulative roll-bonding and spark plasma sintering processes. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the samples were investigated. The as-prepared samples contain hybrid TiAl3 and Al2O3 particles with total volume fractions up to 66.1–81.5 % that were formed in situ by the reaction of Al and TiO2 with much smaller volume fractions (6.7–13.9 %). The composites exhibit a microhardness up to ∼532 HV and high strengths up to ∼1312 MPa at room temperature, ∼919 MPa at 300 °C and ∼565 MPa at 600 °C. The superior mechanical properties of the composites at ambient and elevated temperatures can be attributed to the high volume fraction of reinforcing particles with meanwhile uniform distribution, for which different strengthening mechanisms were discussed.