High performance aluminum nanocomposites

Abstract

The high performance aluminum nanocomposites are formed by a combination of mechanical alloying and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) in order to obtain reinforced nanostrutured aluminum alloys, The nanocomposites are formed from aluminum metal reinforced with silicon carbide (SiC) particulates, wherein the SiC particulates have a particle diameter between about 20 and 40 nm. The nanocomposites are prepared by mixing aluminum-based metal, e.g., Al-7Si-0.3Mg, (Al=92.7%, Si-7% and Mg=0.3%), with SiC nanoparticles in a conventional mill to form a uniformly distributed powder, which is then sintered at a temperature of about 500° C. for a period up to about 20 hours to consolidate the silicon carbide particulates in order to obtain the reinforced aluminum metal-based silicon carbide nanocomposite.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to aluminum alloys, and particularly to high performance aluminum nanocomposites that are based on aluminum (Al) reinforced with nano-sized silicon carbide (SiC) particles.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]The commercially available aluminum-based alloys, in particular Al—Si—Mg alloys, are used extensively in the automotive industry in various locations, such as cylinder blocks, cylinder heads, pistons, and valve lifters. Under normal applications, Al—Si—Mg alloys are processed in both cast and wrought forms. They are age-hardenable and are routinely heat treated to T6 condition to develop adequate strength. Different industrial applications have called for more advanced processing of aluminum-based alloys, especially Al—Si—Mg alloys, because they are being utilized in multiple vital applications. This is primarily due to their improved corrosion resistance and to their high spec...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a way to make strong and durable aluminum nanocomposites by combining mechanical alloying and a process called Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). The nanocomposites are made by adding silicon carbide particles to aluminum metal, which is then consolidated at high temperatures to create a strong and durable material. The resulting nanocomposites have improved strength and durability compared to pure aluminum metal.

Problems solved by technology

However, there has been a limit to the possible improvement of their properties using conventional processing routes, and research efforts have been directed to boosting their performance by adding a second phase particle in different compositions and sizes.

Also, the conventional Al—Si—Mg alloys used in the automotive industry have limited capabilities, and their properties can't be stretched beyond certain limits.

Indeed, most conventional processes that utilize normal consolidation procedures fail to retain the nano-crystalline structure till the final product is reached.

Images