Fabricating metal matrix composites containing electrical in sulators

• Main Authors: RALPH R. SAWTELL, M. K. PREMKUMAR, DAVID I. YUN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.11.1996
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ALLOYS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; CASTING; CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES; CEMENTS; CERAMICS; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDINGMATERIALS; CONCRETE; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; LIME, MAGNESIA; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS; METALLURGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; PRINTED CIRCUITS; REFRACTORIES; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SLAG; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE

A method of fabricating a metal matrix composite containing electrically isolated areas and the MMC formed from the method. The method comprises: (a) providing a liquid pool of unreinforced aluminum alloy; (b) infiltrating the unreinforced aluminum alloy into a stack comprising upper and lower porous preforms and an electrical insulator material placed between the preforms; (c) solidifying the liquid-phase metal to form a metal matrix composite product that completely surrounds the stack; and (d) forming at least one groove in the solidified metal, the groove extending downward to the insulating substrate so as to electrically isolate at least one region on the surface of the metal matrix composite.