USE OF WASTE OF SOLID ALLOYS IN QUALITY FILLER FOR COMPOSITE MATERIALS WITH ALUMINUM MATRIX

Abstract

A possibility of cemented carbide wastes usage as a reinforcement filler for the aluminum alloy based composites manufacture has been investigated. The regularities of the interphase interaction of high-modulus carbides powders with aluminum-based melts have been studied by synchronous thermal analysis technique. The wettability of silicon carbide single crystal and cemented carbides by liquid aluminum-based alloys have been measured using the sessile drop method.The regularities of vacuum infiltration of dispersed particles by aluminum-based melts have been studied. It is established that the infiltration process variables practically do not depend on the type of the particles material, but are effected by their dispersion. Increasing the vacuum to 20 kPa leads to a sharp increase in the infiltration depth, and its further increasing practically does not affect this process. The infiltration rate dependence on the temperatures of the mold and the melt, the soaking time and the dispersion of the filler has been established. A special technological diagram has been designed for optimal operating modes choice for the cast billets production using the infiltration method. A technique have been elaborated for aluminum alloys-based composite materials cast billets production with a high content (about 60 vol%) of high-modulus carbide disperse particles. An alloying method have been devised for cemented carbide and silicon carbide dispersed particles introduction into the aluminum-based melts (1–5 wt.%).