Metal-Based Composite Materials: Preparation, Structure, Properties, and Applications

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2022) | Viewed by 24492

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Special Issue Editors

Institute of High-Temperature lectrochemistry UB RAS, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Interests: high-temperature electrochemistry; molten salts; electrochemical sensors; SNF pyro-reprocessing; Al master alloys and composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 620066 Ekaterinburg, Russia
Interests: lithium-ion batteries; graphene; silicene; computer experiment; molecular dynamics; membranes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is focused on analyzing modern trends and recent advances in the synthesis of new metal-based composite materials. Such composites are increasingly used in civil, automotive and aerospace engineering, shipbuilding, robotics, nuclear power, portable energy devices, biomedicine, electronic devices, and portable aircraft.

Non-ferrous metals are often used as the matrix of composites, aluminum, magnesium, nickel, titanium and their alloys, can act as modifiers with boron, carbon structures, borides, carbides, nitrides and oxides of refractory metals and high-strength steel. For high-temperature composites, tungsten or molybdenum fibers are used.

Despite the large number of scientific works, new methods for the synthesis of such composites in order to improve and optimize their structure and properties are still needed. In this regard, completed works of experimental and theoretical orientation, aimed at the development and optimization of methods for the synthesis of composite materials, as well as the search for new materials, are welcomed for inclusion in this Special Issue.

Dr. Andrey Suzdaltsev
Dr. Oksana Rakhmanova
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • metal-based composites
  • processing
  • graphene
  • silicene
  • carbon nanotubes
  • composite structures
  • rheology
  • morphology
  • thermoplastic
  • pressing
  • molecular dynamics
  • composite application

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Published Papers (14 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 201 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue on Metal-Based Composite Materials: Preparation, Structure, Properties and Applications
by Andrey Suzdaltsev and Oksana Rakhmanova
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4799; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13084799 - 11 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1021
Abstract
The Special Issue is aimed at analyzing modern trends and recent advances in the synthesis of new metal-based composite materials [...] Full article

Research

Jump to: Editorial

19 pages, 8831 KiB  
Article
Neural Network Modeling of Microstructure Formation in an AlMg6/10% SiC Metal Matrix Composite and Identification of Its Softening Mechanisms under High-Temperature Deformation
by Alexander Smirnov, Vladislav Kanakin and Anatoly Konovalov
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 939; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13020939 - 10 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1217
Abstract
The paper investigates the rheological behavior and microstructuring of an AlMg6/10% SiC metal matrix composite (MMC). The rheological behavior and microstructuring of the AlMg6/10% SiC composite is studied for strain rates ranging between 0.1 and 4 s−1 and temperatures ranging from 300 [...] Read more.
The paper investigates the rheological behavior and microstructuring of an AlMg6/10% SiC metal matrix composite (MMC). The rheological behavior and microstructuring of the AlMg6/10% SiC composite is studied for strain rates ranging between 0.1 and 4 s−1 and temperatures ranging from 300 to 500 °C. The microstructure formation is studied using EBSD analysis, as well as finite element simulation and neural network models. The paper proposes a new method of adding data to a training sample, which allows neural networks to correctly predict the behavior of microstructure parameters, such as the average grain diameter, and the fraction and density of low-angle boundaries with scanty initial experimental data. The use of neural networks has made it possible to relate the thermomechanical parameters of deformation to the microstructure parameters formed under these conditions. These dependences allow us to establish that, at strain rates ranging from 0.1 to 4 s−1 and temperatures between 300 to 500 °C, the main softening processes in the AlMg6/10% SiC MMC are dynamic recovery and continuous dynamic recrystallization accompanied, under certain strain and strain rate conditions at 300 and 350 °C, by geometric recrystallization. Full article
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11 pages, 5205 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of C/SiC Mixtures for Composite Anodes of Lithium-Ion Power Sources
by Anastasia M. Leonova, Oleg A. Bashirov, Natalia M. Leonova, Alexey S. Lebedev, Alexey A. Trofimov and Andrey V. Suzdaltsev
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 901; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app13020901 - 09 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2520
Abstract
Nowadays, research aimed at the development of materials with increased energy density for lithium-ion batteries are carried out all over the world. Composite anode materials based on Si and C ultrafine particles are considered promising due to their high capacity. In this work, [...] Read more.
Nowadays, research aimed at the development of materials with increased energy density for lithium-ion batteries are carried out all over the world. Composite anode materials based on Si and C ultrafine particles are considered promising due to their high capacity. In this work, a new approach for carbothermal synthesis of C/SiC composite mixtures with SiC particles of fibrous morphology with a fiber diameter of 0.1–2.0 μm is proposed. The synthesis was carried out on natural raw materials (quartz and graphite) without the use of complex equipment and an argon atmosphere. Using the proposed method, C/SiC mixture as well as pure SiC were synthesized and used to manufacture anode half-cells of lithium-ion batteries. The potential use of the resulting mixtures as anode material for lithium-ion battery was shown. Energy characteristics of the mixtures were determined. After 100 cycles, pure SiC reached a discharge capacity of 180 and 138 mAh g−1 at a current of C/20 and C, respectively, and for the mixtures of (wt%) 29.5C–70.5 SiC and 50Si–14.5C–35.5SiC discharge capacity of 328 and 400 mAh g−1 at a current of C/2 were achieved. The Coulombic efficiency of the samples during cycling was over 99%. Full article
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10 pages, 1784 KiB  
Article
Disks of Oxygen Vacancies on the Surface of TiO2 Nanoparticles
by Vladimir B. Vykhodets, Tatiana E. Kurennykh and Evgenia V. Vykhodets
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(23), 11963; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app122311963 - 23 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1014
Abstract
Oxide nanopowders are widely used in engineering, and their properties are largely controlled by the defect structure of nanoparticles. Experimental data on the spatial distribution of defects in oxide nanoparticles are unavailable in the literature, and in the work presented, to gain such [...] Read more.
Oxide nanopowders are widely used in engineering, and their properties are largely controlled by the defect structure of nanoparticles. Experimental data on the spatial distribution of defects in oxide nanoparticles are unavailable in the literature, and in the work presented, to gain such information, methods of nuclear reactions and deuterium probes were employed. The object of study was oxygen-deficient defects in TiO2 nanoparticles. Nanopowders were synthesized by the sol–gel method and laser evaporation of ceramic targets. To modify the defect structure in nanoparticles, nanopowders were subjected to vacuum annealings. It was established that in TiO2 nanoparticles there form two-dimensional defects consisting of six titanium atoms that occupy the nanoparticle surface and result in a remarkable deviation of the chemical composition from the stoichiometry. The presence of such defects was observed in two cases: in TiO2 nanoparticles alloyed with cobalt, which were synthesized by the sol–gel method, and in nonalloyed TiO2 nanoparticles synthesized by laser evaporation of ceramic target. The concentration of the defects under study can be varied in wide limits via vacuum annealings of nanopowders which can provide formation on the surface of oxide nanoparticles of a solid film of titanium atoms 1–2 monolayers in thickness. Full article
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17 pages, 10009 KiB  
Article
Few-Layer Graphene as an Efficient Buffer for GaN/AlN Epitaxy on a SiO2/Si Substrate: A Joint Experimental and Theoret-ical Study
by Denis Petrovich Borisenko, Alexander Sergeevich Gusev, Nikolay Ivanovich Kargin, Petr Leonidovich Dobrokhotov, Alexey Afanasievich Timofeev, Vladimir Arkhipovich Labunov, Mikhail Mikhailovich Mikhalik, Konstantin Petrovich Katin, Mikhail Mikhailovich Maslov, Pavel Sergeevich Dzhumaev and Ivan Vladimirovich Komissarov
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(22), 11516; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app122211516 - 13 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1251
Abstract
Single-layer (SLG)/few-layer (FLG) and multilayer graphene (MLG) (>15 layers) samples were obtained using the CVD method on high-textured Cu foil catalysts. In turn, plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy was applied to carry out the GaN graphene-assisted growth. A thin AlN layer was used at [...] Read more.
Single-layer (SLG)/few-layer (FLG) and multilayer graphene (MLG) (>15 layers) samples were obtained using the CVD method on high-textured Cu foil catalysts. In turn, plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy was applied to carry out the GaN graphene-assisted growth. A thin AlN layer was used at the initial stage to promote the nucleation process. The effect of graphene defectiveness and thickness on the quality of the GaN epilayers was studied. The bilayer graphene showed the lowest strain and provided optimal conditions for the growth of GaN/AlN. Theoretical studies based on the density functional theory have shown that the energy of interaction between graphene and AlN is almost the same as between graphite sheets (194 mJ/m2). However, the presence of vacancies and other defects as well as compression-induced ripples and nitrogen doping leads to a significant change in this energy. Full article
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13 pages, 3703 KiB  
Article
Effect of Zinc Aluminum Magnesium Coating on Spot-Welding Joint Properties of HC340LAD + ZM Steel
by Xiang Chen, Xinjie Peng, Xinjian Yuan, Ziliu Xiong, Yue Lu, Shenghai Lu and Jian Peng
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(18), 9072; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12189072 - 09 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1351
Abstract
Zn-Al-Mg (zinc, aluminum and magnesium)-coated steel is gradually replacing traditional hot-dip galvanized steel due to its excellent corrosion resistance, self-healing properties and good surface hardness. However, the effect of Zn-Al-Mg coating on the resistance spot-welding joint properties of HC340LAD + ZM steel plates [...] Read more.
Zn-Al-Mg (zinc, aluminum and magnesium)-coated steel is gradually replacing traditional hot-dip galvanized steel due to its excellent corrosion resistance, self-healing properties and good surface hardness. However, the effect of Zn-Al-Mg coating on the resistance spot-welding joint properties of HC340LAD + ZM steel plates is not clear, and there are few systematic studies on it. In this paper, L16 (43) orthogonal experiments were designed on Zn-Al-Mg-coated steel HC340LAD + ZM (thickness = 1 mm). In addition, taking the tensile shear force as the main evaluation standard, the optimal spot-welding process properties could be achieved when the welding current, the welding time and the electrode loading were 10 kA, 14 cycles and 2.6 kN, respectively. On this basis, the formation mechanism, microstructure and corrosion properties of two plates of steels, with or without zinc, aluminum and magnesium coating under different welding times, were studied. The presence of Zn-Al-Mg coating slightly affected the mechanical properties of welding joints. However, the corrosion current of the body material containing Zn-Al-Mg plating was 7.17 times that of the uncoated plate. Full article
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18 pages, 6780 KiB  
Article
Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Aluminum Matrix Composites Reinforced by In Situ Al2O3 Nanoparticles Fabricated via Direct Chemical Reaction in Molten Salts
by Liudmila A. Yolshina, Aleksander G. Kvashnichev, Dmitrii I. Vichuzhanin and Evgeniya O. Smirnova
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(17), 8907; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12178907 - 05 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2217
Abstract
The development of novel methods for industrial production of metal-matrix composites with improved properties is extremely important. An aluminum matrix reinforced by “in situ” α-Al2O3 nanoparticles was fabricated via direct chemical reaction between molten aluminum and rutile TiO2 nanopowder [...] Read more.
The development of novel methods for industrial production of metal-matrix composites with improved properties is extremely important. An aluminum matrix reinforced by “in situ” α-Al2O3 nanoparticles was fabricated via direct chemical reaction between molten aluminum and rutile TiO2 nanopowder under the layer of molten salts at 700–800 °C in air atmosphere. Morphology, size, and distribution of the in situ particles, as well as the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated by XRD, SEM, Raman spectra, and hardness and tensile tests. Synthesized aluminum–alumina composites with Al2O3 concentration up to 19 wt.% had a characteristic metallic luster, their surfaces were smooth without any cracks and porosity. The obtained results indicate that the “in situ” particles were mainly cube-shaped on the nanometer scale and uniform matrix distribution. The concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticles depended on the exposure time and initial precursor concentration, rather than on the synthesis temperature. The influence of the structure of the studied materials on their ultimate strength, yield strength, and plasticity under static loads was established. It is shown that under static uniaxial tension, the cast aluminum composites containing aluminum oxide nanoparticles demonstrated significantly increased tensile strength, yield strength, and ductility. The microhardness and tensile strength of the composite material were by 20–30% higher than those of the metallic aluminum. The related elongation increased three times after the addition of nano-α Al2O3 into the aluminum matrix. Composite materials of the Al-Al2O3 system could be easily rolled into thin and ductile foils and wires. They could be re-melted for the repeated application. Full article
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18 pages, 7100 KiB  
Article
Ab Initio Study of the Mechanism of Proton Migration in Perovskite LaScO3
by Alexander Y. Galashev, Dmitriy S. Pavlov, Yuri P. Zaikov and Oksana R. Rakhmanova
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(11), 5302; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12115302 - 24 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1313
Abstract
The mechanism of proton motion in a LaScO3 perovskite crystal was studied by ab initio molecular dynamics. The calculations were performed at different temperatures, locations, and initial velocity of the proton. Different magnitudes and directions of the external electric field were also [...] Read more.
The mechanism of proton motion in a LaScO3 perovskite crystal was studied by ab initio molecular dynamics. The calculations were performed at different temperatures, locations, and initial velocity of the proton. Different magnitudes and directions of the external electric field were also considered. It is shown that initial location and interaction between proton and its nearest environment are of great importance to the character of the proton movement, while the magnitude and direction of the initial velocity and electric field strength are secondary factors characterizing its movement through the LaScO3 crystal. Four types of proton-jumping between oxygen atoms are determined and the probability of each of them is established. Energy barriers and characteristic times of these jumps are determined. The probable distances from a proton to other types of atoms present in perovskite are calculated. It is shown that the temperature determines, to a greater extent, the nature of the motion of a proton in a perovskite crystal than the magnitude of the external electric field. The distortion of the crystal lattice and its polarization provoke the formation of a potential well, which determines the path for the proton to move and its mobility in the perovskite crystal. Full article
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18 pages, 4797 KiB  
Article
Joining of CFRT/Steel Hybrid Parts via Direct Pressing of Cold Formed Non-Rotational Symmetric Pin Structures
by Julian Popp, David Römisch, Marion Merklein and Dietmar Drummer
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(10), 4962; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12104962 - 13 May 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1487
Abstract
In this study, quasi-unidirectional continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTs) are joined with metal sheets via cold formed cylindrical, elliptical and polygonal pin structures which are directly pressed into the CFRT component after local infrared heating. In comparison to already available studies, the unique [...] Read more.
In this study, quasi-unidirectional continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTs) are joined with metal sheets via cold formed cylindrical, elliptical and polygonal pin structures which are directly pressed into the CFRT component after local infrared heating. In comparison to already available studies, the unique novelty is the use of non-rotational symmetric pin structures for the CFRT/metal hybrid joining. Thus, a variation in the fiber orientation in the CFRT component as well as a variation in the non-rotational symmetric pins’ orientation in relation to the sample orientation is conducted. The created samples are consequently mechanically tested via single lap shear experiments in a quasi-static state. Finally, the failure behavior of the single lap shear samples is investigated with the help of microscopic images and detailed photographs. In the single lap shear tests, it could be shown that non-rotational symmetric pin structures lead to an increase in maximum testing forces of up to 74% when compared to cylindrical pins. However, when normalized to the pin foot print related joint strength, only one polygonal pin variation showed increased joint strength in comparison to cylindrical pin structures. The investigation of the failure behavior showed two distinct failure modes. The first failure mode was failure of the CFRT component due to an exceedance of the maximum bearing strength of the pin-hole leading to significant damage in the CFRT component. The second failure mode was pin-deflection due to the applied testing load and a subsequent pin extraction from the CFRT component resulting in significantly less visible damage in the CFRT component. Generally, CFRT failure is more likely with a fiber orientation of 0° in relation to the load direction while pin extraction typically occurs with a fiber orientation of 90°. It is assumed that for future investigations, pin structures with an undercutting shape that creates an interlocking joint could counteract the tendency for pin-extraction and consequently lead to increased maximum joint strengths. Full article
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10 pages, 5005 KiB  
Article
A Porous Tungsten Substrate for Catalytic Reduction of Hydrogen by Dealloying of a Tungsten–Rhenium Alloy in an Aqueous Solution of Hydrochloric Acid
by Aleksander A. Chernyshev and Evgenia V. Nikitina
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1029; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12031029 - 19 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1675
Abstract
Selective dissolution of a tungsten (85 wt.%)–rhenium (15 wt.%) alloy with rhenium in hydrochloric acid at the temperature of 298 K and anodic polarization modes was carried out to develop a porous catalytic substrate and to recycle rare metals. The parameters of the [...] Read more.
Selective dissolution of a tungsten (85 wt.%)–rhenium (15 wt.%) alloy with rhenium in hydrochloric acid at the temperature of 298 K and anodic polarization modes was carried out to develop a porous catalytic substrate and to recycle rare metals. The parameters of the effective selective anodic dissolution of the tungsten–rhenium alloy, including the differences in applied potentials and electrolyte composition, were found. It was established that samples of the tungsten–rhenium alloy possess the smallest average pore size after being exposed for 6000 s. The obtained porous tungsten samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron spectroscopy. A thermodynamic description of the processes occurring during the anodic selective dissolution of a binary alloy was proposed. In the course of the work, the selectivity coefficient was determined using an X-ray fluorescence wave-dispersion spectrometer XRF-1800. The existence of a bimodal structure on the tungsten surface after dealloying was proved. Full article
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12 pages, 2397 KiB  
Article
Electrochemical Synthesis of Nano-Sized Silicon from KCl–K2SiF6 Melts for Powerful Lithium-Ion Batteries
by Timofey Gevel, Sergey Zhuk, Natalia Leonova, Anastasia Leonova, Alexey Trofimov, Andrey Suzdaltsev and Yuriy Zaikov
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 10927; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112210927 - 19 Nov 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2357
Abstract
Currently, silicon and silicon-based composite materials are widely used in microelectronics and solar energy devices. At the same time, silicon in the form of nanoscale fibers and various particles morphology is required for lithium-ion batteries with increased capacity. In this work, we studied [...] Read more.
Currently, silicon and silicon-based composite materials are widely used in microelectronics and solar energy devices. At the same time, silicon in the form of nanoscale fibers and various particles morphology is required for lithium-ion batteries with increased capacity. In this work, we studied the electrolytic production of nanosized silicon from low-fluoride KCl–K2SiF6 and KCl–K2SiF6–SiO2 melts. The effect of SiO2 addition on the morphology and composition of electrolytic silicon deposits was studied under the conditions of potentiostatic electrolysis (cathode overvoltage of 0.1, 0.15, and 0.25 V vs. the potential of a quasi-reference electrode). The obtained silicon deposits were separated from the electrolyte residues, analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and spectral analysis, and then used to fabricate a composite Si/C anode for a lithium-ion battery. The energy characteristics of the manufactured anode half-cells were measured by the galvanostatic cycling method. Cycling revealed better capacity retention and higher coulombic efficiency of the Si/C composite based on silicon synthesized from KCl–K2SiF6–SiO2 melt. After 15 cycles at 200 mA·g−1, material obtained at 0.15 V overvoltage demonstrates capacity of 850 mAh·g−1. Full article
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14 pages, 7146 KiB  
Article
Using the Instrumented Indentation Technique to Determine Damage in Sintered Metal Matrix Composites after High-Temperature Deformation
by Alexander Smirnov, Evgeniya Smirnova, Anatoly Konovalov and Vladislav Kanakin
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(22), 10590; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112210590 - 10 Nov 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1277
Abstract
The paper shows the applicability of data on the evolution of the elastic modulus measured by the instrumented microindentation technique to the determination of accumulated damage in metal matrix composites (MMCs) under high temperature deformation. A composite with a V95 aluminum alloy matrix [...] Read more.
The paper shows the applicability of data on the evolution of the elastic modulus measured by the instrumented microindentation technique to the determination of accumulated damage in metal matrix composites (MMCs) under high temperature deformation. A composite with a V95 aluminum alloy matrix (the Russian equivalent of the 7075 alloy) and SiC reinforcing particles is used as the research material. The metal matrix composite was produced by powder technology. The obtained results show that, under macroscopic compression at temperatures ranging between 300 and 500 °C, the V95\10% SiC MMC has the best plasticity at 300 °C. At a deformation temperature of 500 °C, the plastic properties are significantly lower than those at 300 and 400 °C. Full article
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19 pages, 7435 KiB  
Article
The Synthesis of Aluminum Matrix Composites Reinforced with Fe-Al Intermetallic Compounds by Ball Milling and Consolidation
by Roberto Ademar Rodríguez Díaz, Sergio Rubén Gonzaga Segura, José Luis Reyes Barragán, Víctor Ravelero Vázquez, Arturo Molina Ocampo, Jesús Porcayo Calderón, Héctor Cruz Mejía, Carlos Alberto González Rodríguez and Jesús Israel Barraza Fierro
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(19), 8877; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11198877 - 24 Sep 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1907
Abstract
In this study, a nano-composite material of a nanostructured Al-based matrix reinforced with Fe40Al intermetallic particles was produced by ball milling. During the non-equilibria processing, the powder mixtures with the compositions of Al-XFe40Al (X = 5, 10, and 15 vol. %) were mechanically [...] Read more.
In this study, a nano-composite material of a nanostructured Al-based matrix reinforced with Fe40Al intermetallic particles was produced by ball milling. During the non-equilibria processing, the powder mixtures with the compositions of Al-XFe40Al (X = 5, 10, and 15 vol. %) were mechanically milled under a low energy regime. The processed Al-XFe40Al powder mixtures were subjected to uniaxial pressing at room temperature. Afterward, the specimens were subjected to a sintering process under an inert atmosphere. In this thermal treatment, the specimens were annealed at 500 °C for 2 h. The sintering process was performed under an argon atmosphere. The crystallite size of the Al decreased as the milling time advanced. This behavior was observed in the three specimens. During the ball milling stage, the powder mixtures composed of Al-XFe40Al did not experience a mechanochemical reaction that could lead to the generation of secondary phases. The crystallite size of the Al displayed a predominant tendency to decrease during the ball milling process. The microstructure of the consolidated specimens indicated a uniform dispersion of the intermetallic reinforcement phases in the Al matrix. Moreover, according to the Vickers microhardness tests, the hardness varied linearly with the increase in the concentration of the Fe40Al intermetallic phase present in the composite material. The presented graphs indicate that the hardness increased almost linearly with the increasing dislocation density and with the reduction in grain sizes (both occurring during the non-equilibria processing). The microstructural and mechanical properties reported in this paper provide the aluminum matrix composite materials with the ideal conditions to be considered candidates for applications in the automotive and aeronautical industries. Full article
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11 pages, 89664 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Magnesium-Aluminum Composites under High-Pressure Torsion: Atomistic Simulation
by Polina Viktorovna Polyakova, Julia Alexandrovna Pukhacheva, Stepan Aleksandrovich Shcherbinin, Julia Aidarovna Baimova and Radik Rafikovich Mulyukov
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(15), 6801; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11156801 - 24 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1827
Abstract
The aluminum–magnesium (Al–Mg) composite materials possess a large potential value in practical application due to their excellent properties. Molecular dynamics with the embedded atom method potentials is applied to study Al–Mg interface bonding during deformation-temperature treatment. The study of fabrication techniques to obtain [...] Read more.
The aluminum–magnesium (Al–Mg) composite materials possess a large potential value in practical application due to their excellent properties. Molecular dynamics with the embedded atom method potentials is applied to study Al–Mg interface bonding during deformation-temperature treatment. The study of fabrication techniques to obtain composites with improved mechanical properties, and dynamics and kinetics of atom mixture are of high importance. The loading scheme used in the present work is the simplification of the scenario, experimentally observed previously to obtain Al–Cu and Al–Nb composites. It is shown that shear strain has a crucial role in the mixture process. The results indicated that the symmetrical atomic movement occurred in the Mg–Al interface during deformation. Tensile tests showed that fracture occurred in the Mg part of the final composite sample, which means that the interlayer region where the mixing of Mg, and Al atoms observed is much stronger than the pure Mg part. Full article
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