(a) The
metal matrix composite is suitable for the manufacture of flat or shaped
titanium aluminide,
zirconium aluminide, or
niobium aluminide articles and layered
metal composites having improved mechanical properties such as lightweight plates and sheets for aircraft and automotive applications, thin cross-section vanes and airfoils, heat-sinking lightweight electronic substrates, bulletproof structures for vests, partition walls and
doors, as well as sporting goods such as helmets, golf clubs, sole plates, crown plates, etc. The
composite material consists of a
metal (e.g., Ti, Zr, or Nb-based
alloy) matrix at least partially intercalated with a three-dimensional skeletal metal aluminide structure, whereby
ductility of the matrix metal is higher than that of the metal aluminide skeleton. The method for manufacturing includes the following steps: (a) providing an aluminum skeleton structure having open
porosity of 50-95 vol. %, (b) filling said skeleton structure with the
powder of a reactive matrix metal, (c) compacting the aluminum skeleton / matrix
powder composite preform by cold rolling, cold die pressing, cold isostatic pressing, and / or hot rolling, (d) consolidating the initial or compacted composite preform by
sintering,
hot pressing, hot rolling,
hot isostatic pressing, and / or hot
extrusion to provide, at least partially, a reaction between aluminum skeleton and matrix
metal powder, and (e)
diffusion annealing followed by any type of heat treatment needed to provide predetermined mechanical and surface properties of the resulting
metal matrix composite. The combination of ductile matrix and metal aluminide skeletal structure results in significant improvement of mechanical properties of the
composite material, especially hot strength. This high-strength aluminide-based material can also be used as a
core component in multilayer metal matrix composites.