Paper number 214

COMPATIBILITY OF SI-C-O FIBER AND SI-C FIBER WITH ALUMINUM

J. Pan¹, M. Yoshida¹, G. Sasaki¹, H. Fukunaga¹, and D. M. Yang²

1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hiroshima University,
Kagamiyama 1-4-1, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8527, Japan
2Department of Materials Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Changsha Institute of Technology, Changsha, 410073, China

Summary

Two kinds of SiC-based fibers have been evaluated for their compatibility with aluminum. Si-C-O (Nicalon) fiber and oxygen-free cured Si-C (Hi-Nicalon) fiber were coated with pure aluminum and heat treated at 700°C for different times. Tensile test of Al-coated fibers showed that Si-C fiber had lower strength degradation than Si-C-O fiber. DSC thermogram displayed an exothermic peak as a proof of interface reaction between Si-C-O fiber and aluminum. SEM and TEM observation of SiC/Al composites exhibited that Si-C-O fiber reacted with aluminum more readily than Si-C fiber. Two kinds of SiC-based fiber reinforced aluminum composite wires were prepared by ultrasonic liquid infiltration method. After exposed at the temperature lower than 500°C for 30 min the wire strength reduction was less than 10%. If heated at 600°C and 700°C, Si-C-O/Al wire lost its half strength and was near to zero, respectively. But for Si-C/Al wire, strength degradation was 20% (600°C-30 min heating) and 88% (700°C-30 min heating). Low-oxygen Si-C fiber has been improved in compatibility with aluminum.

Keywords

SiC fiber, aluminum matrix composites, physical vapor deposition, squeeze casting, ultrasonic liquid infiltration, tensile strength, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy.