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Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Metals and Alloys".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2023) | Viewed by 14173

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Prof. Dr. Zhiwei Liu

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School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
Interests: solidificaiton; casting; Al/Mg alloys and composites; ultrasound; metal-air battery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Peng Xiao

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Guest Editor

School of Material Science and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
Interests: metal matrix composites; lightweight alloys; casting; hot process; strength-toughness; corrosion behavior
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Dear Colleagues,

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) have great application potential in space technology, aerospace, electronic packaging, and automotive industry because of its excellent mechanical and physical properties, such as high strength/modulus, wear and creep resistance, excellent damping, reduced thermal expansion, and excellent electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, etc. MMCs consist of reinforcements in the form of fibers, whiskers, or particles, and types of matrix, such as Al, Mg, Cu, Ti, Fe, Ni, Zn, intermetallic compound matrix and others.

Nowadays, MMCs are developed toward higher strength, good ductility or toughness, and multi-functional properties in order to meet the increased social demands of a wide application. For this purpose, attempts have been focused on multi-scale and architecture design, novel fabrication methods, advanced processing/characterization techniques, and clarifying related mechanisms of MMCs.

The aim of this Special Issue is to understand the basic principles of design, processing, and application, as well as new progress and findings in the fields of advanced MMCs. The articles presented in this Special Issue will cover various topics on MMCs, including, but not limited to:

Multi scale and architecture design
Novel fabrication methods, advanced characterization techniques
Interface modification
Computer modeling and simulation for architecture, interface and service performance
Corrosion, tribological, physical and mechanical behaviors
Understanding the relationship between microstructure and properties.

It is our pleasure to invite you to submit your article to this Special Issue. We look forward to receiving your paper for the Special Issue” Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application” of <MDPI Materials>.

Prof. Dr. Zhiwei Liu
Dr. Peng Xiao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

metal matrix composites
interface
strengthening-toughening
multi scale
architecture design
corrosion
tribology
physical and mechanical behaviors
computer modeling and simulation

Related Special Issue

Progress in Metal Matrix Composites: Design, Processing and Application (Volume II) in Materials (1 article)

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 10220 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of ZrC on the Microstructure and Properties of CrMnFeCoNi High-Entropy Alloy Coatings Prepared by a Plasma Transferred Arc Process

by Long Huang, Bingyuan Li, Bopin Xu, Yicheng Zhou, Mengzhao Li, Chenglin Li, Bing Yang, Chunxu Pan and Guodong Zhang

Materials 2023, 16(23), 7401; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237401 - 28 Nov 2023

Viewed by 550

Abstract

The low strength caused by the single FCC structure of the CrMnFeCoNi high entropy alloy (HEA) limits its application in the field of coating. Here, we prepared high-entropy alloy coatings of CrMnFeCoNi with different ZrC contents on Q235 steel by a plasma transferred arc process. The effects of ZrC on the microstructure and properties of the CrMnFeCoNi HEA coating were investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope, and X-ray diffraction and by employing a potensiostat/galvanostat. The results showed that ZrC mainly existed in the coatings as a second phase, having little influence on the main crystal structure and micromorphology of the CrMnFeCoNi HEA coating. The hardness of the CrMnFeCoNi HEA coating increased with the ZrC content. ZrC can effectively improve the corrosion resistance of the CrMnFeCoNi HEA coating. In a 1 mol/L NaCl solution with 4 wt% ZrC, the annual corrosion rate was only 5.997% of that of the HEA coating. Nevertheless, the improvement in the wear resistance of CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy coatings was not apparent with the addition of ZrC. Consequently, the addition of ZrC to the FeCoCrNiMn high-entropy alloy coating holds promise for applications in corrosion resistance, particularly in oceanic environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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13 pages, 4143 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Topology of WC/Co Interfaces in Cemented Carbides

by Boris B. Straumal, Lev N. Shchur, David G. Kagramanyan, Elizaveta P. Konstantinova, Alexander V. Druzhinin and Alexei N. Nekrasov

Materials 2023, 16(16), 5560; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165560 - 10 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1035

Abstract

WC–Co cemented carbides build one of the important classes of metal matrix composites. We show in this paper that the use of machine vision methods makes it possible to obtain sufficiently informative statistical data on the topology of the interfaces between tungsten carbide grains (WC) and a cobalt matrix (Co). For the first time, the outlines of the regions of the cobalt binder were chosen as a tool for describing the structure of cemented carbides. Numerical processing of micrographs of cross sections of three WC–Co alloys, which differ in the average grain size, was carried out. The distribution density of the angles in the contours of cobalt “lakes” is bimodal. The peaks close to 110° (so-called outcoming angles) correspond to the contacts between the cobalt binder and the WC/WC grain boundaries. The peaks close to 240° (or incoming angles) correspond to the WC “capes” contacting the cobalt “lakes” and are determined by the angles between facets of WC crystallites. The distribution density of the linear dimensions of the regions of the cobalt binder, approximated with ellipses, were also obtained. The distribution density exponentially decreases with the lengths of the semi-axes of the ellipsoid, approximating the area of the cobalt binder. The possible connection between the obtained data on the shape of cobalt areas and the crack trajectories in cemented carbides is discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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15 pages, 8639 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aluminium Matrix Composite Materials Reinforced by 3D-Printed Ceramic Preforms

by Marek Kremzer, Błażej Tomiczek, Grzegorz Matula, Michał Gocki and Łukasz Krzemiński

Materials 2023, 16(15), 5473; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16155473 - 04 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1124

Abstract

This article employed the fused deposition modelling (FDM) method and gas-pressure infiltration to manufacture alumina/AlSi12 composites. Porous ceramic skeletons were prepared by FDM 3D printing of two different alumina powder-filed filaments. The organic component was removed using a combination of solvent and heat debinding, and the materials were then sintered at 1500 °C to complete the process. Thermogravimetric tests and DTA analysis were performed to develop an appropriate degradation and sintering program. Manufactured skeletons were subjected to microstructure analysis, porosity analysis, and bending test. The sintering process produced porous alumina ceramic samples with no residual carbon content. Open porosity could occur due to the binder’s degradation. Liquid metal was infiltrated into the ceramic, efficiently filling any open pores and forming a three-dimensional network of the aluminium phase. The microstructure and characteristics of the fabricated materials were investigated using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, computer tomography, hardness testing, and bending strength testing. The developed composite materials are characterized by the required structure—low porosity and homogenous distribution of the reinforcing phase, better mechanical properties than their matrix and more than twice as high hardness. Hence, the developed innovative technology of their manufacturing can be used in practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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14 pages, 3054 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microstructural Aspects of the Fabrication of Al/Al₂O₃ Composite by Friction Stir Processing

by Sergey S. Malopheyev, Ivan S. Zuiko, Sergey Yu. Mironov and Rustam O. Kaibyshev

Materials 2023, 16(7), 2898; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072898 - 05 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1055

Abstract

The purpose of this work was the examination of microstructural evolution during the fabrication of an Al/Al₂O₃ composite by friction stir processing (FSP). In order to obtain new insight into this process, a longitudinal section of the produced composite was studied, and advanced characterization techniques (including electron backscatter diffraction and microhardness mapping) were applied. It was found that the reinforcing particles rapidly rearranged into the “onion-ring” structure, which was very stable against the subsequent dispersion. Specifically, the remnants of the comparatively coarse-scale particle agglomerations have survived even after 12 FSP passes. Therefore, it was concluded that three or four FSP passes, which are often applied in practice, are not sufficient to provide a homogeneous dispersion of the reinforcing particles. It was also revealed that the gradual distribution of the nanoscale Al₂O₃ particles throughout the aluminum matrix promoted a subtle reduction in both the portion of high-angle boundaries and the average grain size. These observations were attributed to the particle pinning of grain-boundary migration and dislocation slip. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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20 pages, 36636 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Laser Beam Power on the Microstructure and Some Mechanical Properties of Laser-Alloyed Inconel^®600 with WC Particles

by Piotr Dziarski, Natalia Makuch and Michał Kulka

Materials 2023, 16(7), 2619; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072619 - 25 Mar 2023

Viewed by 926

Abstract

Laser surface alloying with WC particles was used in order to improve the wear resistance of Inconel^®600-alloy. The applied processing parameters ensured appropriate conditions for the production of composite layers enriched with WC particles that did not melt during the process. As a consequence, the produced layers contained globular shaped WC particles that were well bonded in the matrix. The WC particles were characterized by high hardness H_IT = 31.25 GPa and a high Young’s modulus E_IT = 609.33 GPa determined by nanoindentation. The most important parameter influencing the thickness of the layer, the percentage of WC particles in the layer and the wear resistance of the produced layers was the power of the laser beam. Three values of laser beam power were used: 1.3 kW, 1.56 kW, and 1.82 kW. An increase in the laser beam power resulted in an increased thickness of the layer from 435 µm to 685 µm. Simultaneously, when the power of the laser beam was higher, the depth of re-melting of the substrate material increased. This was the reason for a decrease in the percentage of WC particles in the composite layer. The layer produced by laser beam power of 1.3 kW contained 20.59% of WC particles, whereas the highest power of the laser beam (1.82 kW) ensured a percentage of WC particles of about 9.46%. As a result, the increase in the laser beam power was the reason for the reduction in the wear resistance of the composite layer. The lowest mass wear intensity factor (I_mw = 6.4 mg·cm⁻²·h⁻¹) characterized the layer produced at laser beam power of 1.3 kW, and the highest I_mw (18.5 mg·cm⁻²·h⁻¹) was obtained for the layer produced with a laser beam power of 1.82 kW. However, all the produced composite layers contained WC particles, which ensured improved wear resistance when compared to the Inconel^®600-alloy without the layer (I_mw = 60.9 mg·cm⁻²·h⁻¹). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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13 pages, 8065 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increasing the Thermal Stability and High-Temperature Strength of Vanadium Alloys by Strengthening with Nanosized Non-Metallic Particles

by Ivan A. Ditenberg, Ivan V. Smirnov, Konstantin V. Grinyaev, Alexander N. Tyumentsev, Vyacheslav M. Chernov, Mikhail M. Potapenko and Sergei A. Kulinich

Materials 2023, 16(6), 2430; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16062430 - 18 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1103

Abstract

Using the methods of scanning and transmission electron microscopy, the features of the structural-phase state of a vanadium alloy of the V–Cr–Ta–Zr system after a combined treatment, which consisted in cyclic alternation of thermomechanical and chemical-heat treatments, were studied. The values of yield strength and ductility of the V–Cr–Ta–Zr alloy were determined, depending on the stabilization and test temperatures. It was established that, after the combined treatment, the structural-phase state of the V–Cr–Ta–Zr alloy was composite, in which the joint implementation of dispersion and substructural strengthening ensured the formation of a gradient grain structure with a polygonal state, the elements of which were fixed by nanosized ZrO₂ particles characterized by a high thermal stability. Such modification of the microstructure was accompanied by an increase in the high-temperature strength and a shift in the upper limit of the temperature stability interval towards high temperatures, of up to 900 °C. It was assumed that the polygonal state inside the grains contributed to the implementation of cooperative mechanisms of the dislocation–disclination type, which ensured the accommodation of the material in the “high-strength state” under loading. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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12 pages, 4695 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of the Duty Cycle of Pulse Electrodeposition-Coated Ni-Al₂O₃ Nanocomposites on Surface Roughness Properties

by Aashish John, Adil Saeed and Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan

Materials 2023, 16(6), 2192; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16062192 - 09 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1214

Abstract

In this study, the viability of duty cycle variation was explored as a potential method to improve the mechanical and surface roughness properties of Ni-Al₂O₃ nanocoatings through pulse electrodeposition. The areal and surface roughness properties of nanocomposite pulse electrodeposition-coated materials with varying duty cycles from 20% to 100% was studied with the analysis of bearing area curves and power spectral densities. Results demonstrate that with decrease in duty cycle, there was an enhancement in aerial roughness properties from 0.348 to 0.195 µm and surface roughness properties from 0.779 to 0.245 µm. The change in surface roughness was due to grain size variation, resulting from the varying time intervals during pulse coatings. This increase in grain size with the change in duty cycle was confirmed with the scanning electron microscope. In addition, an increase in grain size from 0.32 to 0.92 µm with an increase in duty cycle resulted in a decrease in nanohardness from 4.21 to 3.07 GPa. This work will provide a novel method for obtaining Ni-Al₂O₃ nanocomposite coatings with improved surface roughness and hardness properties for wider industrial applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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10 pages, 2924 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Contribution of Tin to the Strain Hardening of Self-Lubricating Sintered Al-30Sn Alloy and Its Wear Resistance under Dry Friction

by Nikolay M. Rusin, Alexander L. Skorentsev and Andrey I. Dmitriev

Materials 2023, 16(4), 1356; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16041356 - 05 Feb 2023

Viewed by 951

Abstract

Aluminum alloys, which have been widely used in various manufacturing industries as an upper layer of bearing inserts, are alloyed with Sn to decrease the intensity of adhesive wear. A relationship between the mechanical properties, wear resistance, and structure of sintered Al-30Sn alloy containing a large amount of the soft phase was studied in this work. The above-mentioned characteristics were determined by testing the investigated material under compression and wear under dry friction in the pin-on-disk geometry at a sliding speed of 0.6 m/s and pressures of 1–5 MPa. The studied alloy was prepared by sintering of compacts consisting of a mixture of commercial powders in a vacuum furnace at a temperature of 600 °C for an hour. Then, the sintered Al-30Sn samples were subjected to processing by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) with routes A and C. It has been established that the hardening value of the alloy subjected to ECAP virtually does not depend on the Sn content, but it depends on the number of passes and the processing route. The maximum increase in the strength of the alloy was found after the first and second passes. At the fixed Sn content, its effect on the wear resistance of the alloy does not depend on the strain hardening value of the aluminum matrix. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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11 pages, 7393 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Functionally Graded Material (FGM) Interlayer in Metal Additive Manufacturing of Inconel-Stainless Bimetallic Structure by Laser Melting Deposition (LMD) and Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM)

by Seong-Won Yoo, Choon-Man Lee and Dong-Hyeon Kim

Materials 2023, 16(2), 535; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16020535 - 05 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2019

Abstract

Bimetallic structures manufactured by direct deposition have a defect due to the sudden change in the microstructure and properties of dissimilar metals. The laser metal deposition (LMD)-wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) process can alleviate the defect between two different materials by depositing the functionally graded material (FGM) layer, such as a thin intermediate layer using LMD and can be used to fabricate bimetallic structures at high deposition rates with relatively low costs using WAAM. In this study, the LMD-WAAM process was performed, and the microstructure of the fabricated bimetallic structure of IN625-SUS304L was investigated. The microstructure of the FGM zone of the LMD-WAAM sample was mainly fine equiaxed dendrite morphologies. In contrast, coarse columnar dendrite morphologies constituted the WAAM zone. The composition of the major alloying elements of the LMD-WAAM sample gradually changed with the height of the deposited layer. The microhardness of the LMD-WAAM sample tended to increase with an increasing Inconel content. In the case of the LMD-WAAM sample, the fracture occurred near the interface between 25% IN625 and 0% IN625; in the WAAM sample, the final fracture occurred in SUS304L near the interface. The tensile strength of the LMD-WAAM samples was inversely proportional to the laser power. The results showed that the LMD-WAAM samples had 8% higher tensile strength than the samples fabricated using only WAAM. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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12 pages, 2680 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Innovative Approach to Prepare Liquid-Solid Dual-Phase Flowable Tritium Breeder with Low MHD Effect

by Kun Xu, Yanfei Qi and Bo Wang

Materials 2023, 16(1), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010406 - 01 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1002

Abstract

In present paper, a novel flowable tritium breeder is prepared by mixing the Li₂TiO₃ micro-powders and liquid GaInSn alloy, where GaInSn alloy is used to simulate the fluid behaviors of lithium-based liquid tritium breeder, forming a type of composite characterized by liquid-solid dual phase. In detail, the effects of the volume fraction of ceramic micro-powders on viscosity and conductivity of the composite in magnetic field are the focus. The XRD results prove that the obtained Li₂TiO₃ micro-powders contained Li₂TiO₃ phase without impurities. The results shows that once the magnetic field intensity exceeds the critical value, the viscosity of liquid GaInSn metal becomes significantly greater than that of liquid-solid dual-phase composites. Furthermore, the addition of Li₂TiO₃ micro-powders could effectively reduce the magneto hydro dynamic (MHD) fluid effect, and the dual-phase composites exhibit comparatively lower flow resistance under the strong magnetic field. Moreover, the conductivity of the tritium breeder composites decreases rapidly with the addition of Li₂TiO₃ micro-powders. The MHD pressure-drop-increasing rate decreases with the increase of viscosity, which indicates that the addition of Li₂TiO₃ micro-powders effectively reduces the MHD effect. The conductivity of the composites increased slightly and then remained stable after static placing for several tens of minutes. The present investigation provides a novel insight into the fabrication strategy of tritium breeder materials with low MHD effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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16 pages, 5987 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Durable Superhydrophobic Coatings on Tungsten Surface by Nanosecond Laser Ablation and Fluorooxysilane Modification

by Ekaterina A. Kuzina, Kirill A. Emelyanenko, Maria A. Teplonogova, Alexandre M. Emelyanenko and Ludmila B. Boinovich

Materials 2023, 16(1), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010196 - 26 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1388

Abstract

Tungsten is an attractive material for a variety of applications, from constructions in high-temperature vacuum furnaces to nontoxic shields for nuclear medicine, because of its distinctive properties, such as high thermal conductivity, high melting point, high hardness and high density. At the same time, the areas of the applicability of tungsten, to a large extent, are affected by the formation of surface oxides, which not only strongly reduce the mechanical properties, but are also prone to easily interacting with water. To alleviate this shortcoming, a series of superhydrophobic coatings for the tungsten surface was elaborated using the method of nanosecond laser treatment followed by chemical vapor deposition of hydrophobic fluorooxysilane molecules. It is shown that the durability of the fabricated coatings significantly depends on surface morphology and composition, which in turn can be effectively controlled by adjusting the parameters of the laser treatment. The coating prepared with optimized parameters had a contact angle of 172.1 ± 0.5° and roll-off angle of 1.5 ± 0.4°, and preserved their high superhydrophobic properties after being subjected to oscillated sand abrasion for 10 h, continuous contact with water droplets for more than 50 h, and to several cycles of the falling sand test. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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22 pages, 17356 KiB

Open AccessReview

Surface Coatings of Reinforcement Phases in Magnesium Matrix Composites: A Review

by Shiyi Wu and Bin Chen

Materials 2023, 16(24), 7560; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16247560 - 08 Dec 2023

Viewed by 598

Abstract

Magnesium matrix composites have been extensively investigated due to their light weight and machinability. The interfaces are the most important part of these composites, and their properties determine the properties of composites to a large extent. However, there are still many problems with interface bonding. The reinforcements are faced with the dilemma of poor dispersion, bad interfacial reaction, and poor wettability, which limits further improvements in the mechanical properties. Surface coating treatment of reinforcements is considered to be one of the effective methods to protect reinforcements and modify the interface. This review presents an overview of different coating materials on various reinforcements. The major roles of coatings in the composites and the properties of the composites are discussed. Future directions and potential research areas in the field of magnesium matrix composites reinforced with coated reinforcements are also highlighted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Progress on Metal Matrix Composite: Design, Processing and Application)

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