Radiographic inspection of reaction-sintered discontinuously reinforced Al-Si alloy composites

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 33; no. 16; pp. 4029 - 4033
• Main Authors: EJIOFOR, J. U, REDDY, R. G, FERNANDO, G. F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 15.08.1998; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aluminum base alloys; Aluminum oxide; Analysing. Testing. Standards; Applied sciences; Defects; Density; Dislocations; Dispersion hardening metals; Exact sciences and technology; Inclusions; Inspection; Liquid phases; Magnesium base alloys; Materials science; Metals. Metallurgy; Nondestructive testing; Particulate composites; Particulates; Powder metallurgy. Composite materials; Production techniques; Radiographs; Radiography; Short fibers; Silicon dioxide; Sintering (powder metallurgy); Testing for defects; Zircon; Aluminium base alloys; Silicon alloy; X ray radiography; Linear defect; Experimental study; Cavitation; Composite material; Dispersion strengthened metal; Zircon sand; Non destructive method; Optical microscopy; Sintering; Char; Void; Defect detection
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1004414716836

Detection and identification of defects and reinforcement phases in reaction-sintered hypereutectic Al-13.5Si-2.5 Mg alloy composites was studied using X-ray radiation. Both the coconut shell char-reinforced and zircon sand-reinforced alloy composites revealed cavities due to thermal defects, gas pores, and voids. The low-density char particles were not detected, but the high-density zircon particulates appeared as dark inclusions on the exographs and this offers a good visual measure of particle dispersion in the liquid-phase sintered parts. At the same conditions of irradiation, the low-density Al-Si alloy composites containing high-density zircon particles did not reveal any clear images. Clusters of alumina-silica short fibres as well as line defects appeared bright but their nature was not discernible, making it difficult to identify the defects in the radiographs. © 1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers