Microstructure and Characterization of Metal Matrix Composites

A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701). This special issue belongs to the section "Metal Matrix Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 May 2025 | Viewed by 2687

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Faculdade de Tecnologia, FT, Universidade Estadual de Campinas/UNICAMP, Campus I, Limeira 13484-350, Brazil 2. Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas, FCA, Centro de Manufatura de Materiais Avançados (CPMMA), UNICAMP, Campus II, Limeira 13484-332, Brazil
Interests: mechanical properties; corrosion resistance; aluminum alloys; compounds; lightweight aspects; biomaterials
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Guest Editor
Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas (FCA), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Limeira 13484-350, Brazil
Interests: solder joint; soldering alloys; intermetallics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is well recognized that the trade-off between the main properties and operational parameters constitutes an important challenge in engineering applications. It is known that distinct manufacturing routes, including traditional and classical routes, as well as other innovative methods, provide different microstructural arrays. Consequently, these play important roles in the final sound material’s properties. Metal alloys or metal matrix composites constituted in situ or produced from a metal alloy, or from the use of distributed particles, have widely been used in several industrial applications. Based on this, it is highly useful to concatenate at least two properties in order to prescribe and promote their potential applications. Nowadays, both economic viability and environmentally friendly aspects also need to be analyzed and associated with the proposed performance.

In this Special Issue, a wide range of manuscripts and investigations will be discussed and presented. Microstructural characterization and its effects on the resulting properties are expected. Thus, researchers are invited to propose original investigations involving a wide variety of distinctive metal alloys and composites.

Dr. Wislei Riuper Osório
Prof. Dr. Ausdinir Danilo Bortolozo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • aluminum matrix composite
  • mechanical properties
  • microstructure
  • alloy
  • powder metallurgy
  • casting
  • blended composites
  • compressive strength
  • anisotropy properties
  • manufacturing route

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 6425 KiB  
Article
Anisotropic Tensile and Compressive Strengths of Al–4 wt.%Cu Alloy Powder: Part 1—Effects of Compaction Loads and Heat Treatments
by Rodrigo S. Bonatti, Ausdinir D. Bortolozo, Rodrigo F. G. Baldo, Erik Poloni and Wislei R. Osório
Metals 2023, 13(10), 1710; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13101710 - 7 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1115
Abstract
Powder metallurgy stands out as a preferred manufacturing method across various industries due to its advantages in design flexibility, material efficiency, and cost-effective production. In this work, we study the influence of different compaction directions on the strength characteristics of parts produced using [...] Read more.
Powder metallurgy stands out as a preferred manufacturing method across various industries due to its advantages in design flexibility, material efficiency, and cost-effective production. In this work, we study the influence of different compaction directions on the strength characteristics of parts produced using powder metallurgy. Al–4 wt.%Cu alloys are used due to their recyclability. We use three distinctive compaction pressures. After sintering, samples are either air-cooled or water-quenched and naturally aged (T4 temper). Both the compressive and tensile strengths are characterized and thoroughly analyzed. This research highlights the significant impact of both heat treatments and compaction directions on anisotropic strengths. The novelty of this research lies in the use of powders that can be reclaimed from machining, turning, or foundry rejections. By eliminating or minimizing the melting stage and employing powder metallurgy, we achieve cost-effective and environmentally friendly processes. Furthermore, we underscore the critical role played by careful planning of compaction loads, compaction directions, and heat treatments in determining the final mechanical performance. This approach is not only economically viable but also aligns with the growing adoption of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices in industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructure and Characterization of Metal Matrix Composites)
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20 pages, 6950 KiB  
Article
Anisotropic Tensile and Compressive Strengths of Al-4wt.%Cu Alloy Powder: Part 2—Effect of Dendritic Arm Spacings
by Rodrigo S. Bonatti, João F. Q. Rodrigues, Leandro C. Peixoto, Rodrigo F. G. Baldo, Ausdinir D. Bortolozo and Wislei R. Osório
Metals 2023, 13(7), 1282; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13071282 - 17 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1072
Abstract
This investigation focuses on the effects of the compaction directions (i.e., transversal and longitudinal) and microstructural arrays (inside the powder utilized to constitute the specimens) on the anisotropic strengths. The initial powders are obtained from the as-cast Al-4 wt.% Cu alloys solidified in [...] Read more.
This investigation focuses on the effects of the compaction directions (i.e., transversal and longitudinal) and microstructural arrays (inside the powder utilized to constitute the specimens) on the anisotropic strengths. The initial powders are obtained from the as-cast Al-4 wt.% Cu alloys solidified in two distinct cooling rates, i.e., ~0.5 and 2.5 °C/s. The powder particles are compacted by using 300, 400 and 600 MPa and sintered at 540 °C for 1 h. The compressive and tensile strengths are carried out and the anisotropic strengths are determined. It is found that transverse samples exhibit higher UCS (ultimate compressive strength) and UTS (ultimate tensile strength) than the longitudinal samples. It is also found that the powder compacted in the transversal direction and utilizing powder with finer dendritic arm spacing provides better UCS and UTS results. The novelty in the study concerns the fact that is evidenced in the role of the dendrite spacings concatenated with the compaction pressure and direction upon the mechanical behavior. It is concluded that depending on the compaction level intended or demanded mechanical behavior, the planning in the compaction direction is preprogrammed. Since recycled powder particles from conventional machining, drilling and turning can potentially be utilized to constitute parts and components, the environmentally friendly aspects are associated, and hazardous stages in a manufacturing process are substantially reduced or eliminated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructure and Characterization of Metal Matrix Composites)
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