Metal matrix composite A metal matrix composite (MMC) is composite material with at least two constituent parts, one

being a metal. The other material may be a different metal or another material, such as a ceramic or organic compound. When at least three materials are present, it is called a hybrid composite. An MMC is complementary to a cermet.Contents [hide] 1 Composition 1.1 Matrix 1.2 Reinforcement 2 Manufacturing and forming methods 3 Applications 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Composition MMCs are made by dispersing a reinforcing material into a metal matrix. The reinforcement surface can be coated to prevent a chemical reaction with the matrix. For example, carbon fibers are commonly used in aluminium matrix to synthesize composites showing low density and high strength. However, carbon reacts with aluminium to generate a brittle and water-soluble compound Al4C3 on the surface of the fiber. To prevent this reaction, the carbon fibers are coated with nickel or titanium boride.

Matrix The matrix is the monolithic material into which the reinforcement is embedded, and is completely continuous. This means that there is a path through the matrix to any point in the material, unlike two materials sandwiched together. In structural applications, the matrix is usually a lighter metal such as aluminium, magnesium, or titanium, and provides a compliant support for the reinforcement. In high temperature applications, cobalt and cobalt-nickel alloy matrices are common. Reinforcement The reinforcement material is embedded into the matrix. The reinforcement does not always serve a purely structural task (reinforcing the compound), but is also used to change physical properties such as wear resistance, friction coefficient, or thermal conductivity. The reinforcement can be either continuous, or discontinuous. Discontinuous MMCs can be isotropic, and can be worked with standard metalworking techniques, such as extrusion, forging or rolling. In addition, they may be machined using conventional techniques, but commonly would need the use of polycrystaline diamond tooling (PCD). Continuous reinforcement uses monofilament wires or fibers such as carbon fiber or silicon carbide. Because the fibers are embedded into the matrix in a certain direction, the result is an anisotropic structure in which the alignment of the material affects its strength. One of the first MMCs used boron filament as reinforcement. Discontinuous reinforcement uses "whiskers", short fibers, or particles. The most common reinforcing materials in this category are alumina and silicon carbide.[1]

Manufacturing and forming methods MMC manufacturing can be broken into three types: solid, liquid, and vapor. Solid state methods Powder blending and consolidation (powder metallurgy): Powdered metal and discontinuous reinforcement are mixed and then bonded through a process of compaction, degassing, and thermomechanical treatment (possibly via hot isostatic pressing (HIP) or extrusion). Foil diffusion bonding: Layers of metal foil are sandwiched with long fibers, and then pressed through to form a matrix. Liquid state methods Electroplating / Electroforming: A solution containing metal ions loaded with reinforcing particles is codeposited forming a composite material. Stir casting: Discontinuous reinforcement is stirred into molten metal, which is allowed to solidify. Squeeze casting: Molten metal is injected into a form with fibers preplaced inside it. Spray deposition: Molten metal is sprayed onto a continuous fiber substrate. Reactive processing: A chemical reaction occurs, with one of the reactants forming the matrix and the other the reinforcement. Vapor deposition Physical vapor deposition: The fiber is passed through a thick cloud of vaporized metal, coating it. In situ fabrication technique Controlled unidirectional solidification of a eutectic alloy can result in a two-phase microstructure with one of the phases, present in lamellar or fiber form, distributed in the matrix. University of Virginia's Directed Vapor Deposition (DVD) technology

Applications Carbide drills are often made from a tough cobalt matrix with hard tungsten carbide particles inside. Some tank armors may be made from metal matrix composites, probably steel reinforced with boron nitride. Boron nitride is a good reinforcement for steel because it is very stiff and it does not dissolve in molten steel. Some automotive disc brakes use MMCs. Early Lotus Elise models used aluminium MMC rotors, but they have less than optimal heat properties and Lotus has since switched back to cast-iron. Modern highperformance sport cars, such as those built by Porsche, use rotors made of carbon fiber within a silicon carbide matrix because of its high specific heat and thermal conductivity. 3M sells a preformed aluminium matrix insert for strengthening cast aluminium disc brake calipers [1], allowing them to weigh as much as 50% less while increasing stiffness. 3M has also used alumina preforms for AMC pushrods. [2] Ford offers a Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) driveshaft upgrade. The MMC driveshaft is made of an aluminium boron carbide matrix, allowing the critical speed of the driveshaft to be raised by reducing inertia. The MMC driveshaft has become a common modification for racers, allowing the top speed to be increased far beyond the safe operating speeds of a standard aluminium driveshaft. Honda has used aluminium metal matrix composite cylinder liners in some of their engines, including the B21A1, H22A and H23A, F20C and F22C, and the C32B used in the NSX. Toyota has since used metal matrix composites in the Yamaha designed 2ZZ-GE engine which is used in the later Lotus Lotus Elise S2 versions as well as Toyota car models. Porsche also uses MMCs to reinforce the engine's cylinder

sleeves in the Boxster and 911. The F-16 Fighting Falcon uses monofilament silicon carbide fibres in a titanium matrix for a structural component of the jet's landing gear. Specialized Bicycles has used aluminium MMC compounds for its top of the range bicycle frames for several years. MMCs are nearly always more expensive than the more conventional materials they are replacing. As a result, they are found where improved properties and performance can justify the added cost. Today these applications are found most often in aircraft components, space systems and high-end or "boutique" sports equipment. The scope of applications will certainly increase as manufacturing costs are reduced. In comparison with conventional polymer matrix composites, MMCs are resistant to fire, can operate in wider range of temperatures, do not absorb moisture, have better electrical and thermal conductivity, are resistant to radiation, and do not display outgassing. On the other hand, MMCs tend to be more expensive, the fiber-reinforced materials may be difficult to fabricate, and the available experience in use is limited.

PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERISATION OF ALUMINIUM-FLY ASH COMPOSITE USING STIR CASTING METHOD
[40697] ABSTRACT Metal matrix composites (MMCs) possess significantly improved properties including high specific strength; specific modulus, damping capacity and good wear resistance compared to unreinforced alloys. There has been an increasing interest in composites containing low density and low cost reinforcements. Among various discontinuous dispersoids used, fly ash is one of the most inexpensive and low density reinforcement available in large quantities as solid waste by-product during combustion of coal in thermal power plants. Hence, composites with fly ash as reinforcement are likely to over come the cost barrier for wide spread applications in automotive and small engine applications. It is therefore expected that the incorporation of fly ash particles in aluminium alloy will promote yet another use of this low-cost waste by-product and, at the same time, has the potential for conserving energy intensive aluminium and thereby, reducing the cost of aluminium products. Now a days the particulate reinforced aluminium matrix composite are gaining importance because of their low cost with advantages like isotropic properties and the possibility of secondary processing facilitating fabrication of secondary components. The present investigation has been focused on the utilization of abundantly available industrial waste fly-ash in useful manner by dispersing it into aluminium to produce composites by stir casting method. INTRODUCTION Conventional monolithic materials have limitations in achieving good combination of strength, stiffness, toughness and density. To overcome these shortcomings and to meet the ever

increasing demand of modern day technology, composites are most promising materials of recent interest. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) possess significantly improved properties including high specific strength; specific modulus, damping capacity and good wear resistance compared to unreinforced alloys. There has been an increasing interest in composites containing low density and low cost reinforcements. Among various discontinuous dispersoids used, fly ash is one of the most inexpensive and low density reinforcement available in large quantities as solid waste by-product during combustion of coal in thermal power plants. Hence, composites with fly ash as reinforcement are likely to over come the cost barrier for wide spread applications in automotive and small engine applications. It is therefore expected that the incorporation of fly ash particles in aluminium alloy will promote yet another use of this low-cost waste by-product and, at the same time, has the potential for conserving energy intensive aluminium and thereby, reducing the cost of aluminium products [1-3]. COMPOSITE Composite material is a material composed of two or more distinct phases (matrix phase and reinforcing phase) and having bulk properties significantly different from those of any of the constituents. Many of common materials (metals, alloys, doped ceramics and polymers mixed with additives) also have a small amount of dispersed phases in their structures, however they are not considered as composite materials since their properties are similar to those of their base constituents (physical property of steel are similar to those of pure iron) . Favorable properties of composites materials are high stiffness and high strength, low density, high temperature stability, high electrical and thermal conductivity, adjustable coefficient of thermal expansion, corrosion resistance, improved wear resistance etc. Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) Metal Matrix Composites are composed of a metallic matrix (Al,Mg,Fe,Cu etc) and a dispersed ceramic (oxide, carbides) or metallic phase( Pb,Mo,W etc). Ceramic reinforcement may be silicon carbide, boron, alumina, silicon nitride, boron carbide, boron nitride etc. whereas Metallic Reinforcement may be tungsten, beryllium etc [19]. MMCs are used for Space Shuttle, commercial airliners, electronic substrates, bicycles, automobiles, golf clubs and a variety of other applications. From a material point of view, when compared to polymer matrix composites, the advantages of MMCs lie in their retention of strength and stiffness at elevated temperature, good abrasion and creep resistance properties [19]. Most MMCs are still in the development stage or the early stages of production and are not so widely established as polymer matrix composites. The biggest disadvantages of MMCs are their high costs of fabrication, which has placed limitations on their actual applications [20]. There are also advantages in some of the physical attributes of MMCs such as no significant moisture absorption properties, non-inflammability, low electrical and thermal conductivities and resistance to most radiations [21]. MMCs have existed for the past 30 years and a wide range of MMCs have been studied [19]. STRENGTHENING MECHANISM OF FIBRE REINFORCED COMPOSITE In such type of composite the reinforcing phase carries the bulk of the load and the matrix transfers the load to the reinforcing phase by the mechanism of seam. The high strength of the reinforcing phase restrict the free elongation of the matrix especially in its vicinity, whereas later is free to elongate at some distance away from the former.

This type of non uniform deformation of the matrix leads to a shear stress at the matrix reinforcement interface which results tensile stress at the reinforcing phase. Thus the stress is transferred to the reinforcing phase. The fibers either may be continuous or discontinuous in the matrix. In the former case the load is directly applied to the reinforcing phase and stress is constant over its entire length. In case of discontinuous fibers, the stress in the fibre increased from zero value at the end to a maximum value in the centre and thus average tensile strength developed is always less than those of continuous fibers. For the same when the fracture of the reinforcing phase, therefore the strength of the discontinuous fibre reinforced composite increases with increasing the length of the fibre and artifacts that of the continuous fibre reinforced one. Also the strength of the fibre reinforced composite will be maximum when the fibres are aligned in the direction of the applied stress i.e in the isostrain condition. So the strength of this kind of composite depends on the volume fraction of the reinforcing element present in the composite, which can be determined by the simple rule of mixtures. STRENGTHENING MECHANISM OF PARTICULATE COMPOSITE In the particulate reinforced composite the size of the particulate is more than 1 m, so it strengthens the composite in two ways. First one is the particulate carry the load along with the matrix materials and another way is by formation of incoherent interface between the particles and the matrix. So a larger number of dislocations are generated at the interface, thus material gets strengthened. The degree of strengthening depends on the amount of particulate (volume fraction), distribution, size and shape of the particulate etc.

PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERISATION OF ALUMINIUM-FLY ASH COMPOSITE USING STIR CASTING METHOD
[40697] ABSTRACT Metal matrix composites (MMCs) possess significantly improved properties including high specific strength; specific modulus, damping capacity and good wear resistance compared to unreinforced alloys. There has been an increasing interest in composites containing low density and low cost reinforcements. Among various discontinuous dispersoids used, fly ash is one of the most inexpensive and low density reinforcement available in large quantities as solid waste by-product during combustion of coal in thermal power plants. Hence, composites with fly ash as reinforcement are likely to over come the cost barrier for wide spread applications in automotive and small engine applications. It is therefore expected that the incorporation of fly ash particles in aluminium alloy will promote yet another use of this low-cost waste by-product and, at the same time, has the potential for conserving energy intensive aluminium and thereby, reducing the cost of aluminium products. Now a days the particulate reinforced aluminium matrix composite are gaining importance because of their low cost with advantages like isotropic properties and the possibility of secondary processing facilitating fabrication of secondary components. The present investigation has been focused on the utilization of abundantly available industrial waste fly-ash in useful manner by dispersing it into aluminium to produce composites by stir casting method.

INTRODUCTION Conventional monolithic materials have limitations in achieving good combination of strength, stiffness, toughness and density. To overcome these shortcomings and to meet the ever increasing demand of modern day technology, composites are most promising materials of recent interest. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) possess significantly improved properties including high specific strength; specific modulus, damping capacity and good wear resistance compared to unreinforced alloys. There has been an increasing interest in composites containing low density and low cost reinforcements. Among various discontinuous dispersoids used, fly ash is one of the most inexpensive and low density reinforcement available in large quantities as solid waste by-product during combustion of coal in thermal power plants. Hence, composites with fly ash as reinforcement are likely to over come the cost barrier for wide spread applications in automotive and small engine applications. It is therefore expected that the incorporation of fly ash particles in aluminium alloy will promote yet another use of this low-cost waste by-product and, at the same time, has the potential for conserving energy intensive aluminium and thereby, reducing the cost of aluminium products [1-3]. COMPOSITE Composite material is a material composed of two or more distinct phases (matrix phase and reinforcing phase) and having bulk properties significantly different from those of any of the constituents. Many of common materials (metals, alloys, doped ceramics and polymers mixed with additives) also have a small amount of dispersed phases in their structures, however they are not considered as composite materials since their properties are similar to those of their base constituents (physical property of steel are similar to those of pure iron) . Favorable properties of composites materials are high stiffness and high strength, low density, high temperature stability, high electrical and thermal conductivity, adjustable coefficient of thermal expansion, corrosion resistance, improved wear resistance etc. Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) Metal Matrix Composites are composed of a metallic matrix (Al,Mg,Fe,Cu etc) and a dispersed ceramic (oxide, carbides) or metallic phase( Pb,Mo,W etc). Ceramic reinforcement may be silicon carbide, boron, alumina, silicon nitride, boron carbide, boron nitride etc. whereas Metallic Reinforcement may be tungsten, beryllium etc [19]. MMCs are used for Space Shuttle, commercial airliners, electronic substrates, bicycles, automobiles, golf clubs and a variety of other applications. From a material point of view, when compared to polymer matrix composites, the advantages of MMCs lie in their retention of strength and stiffness at elevated temperature, good abrasion and creep resistance properties [19]. Most MMCs are still in the development stage or the early stages of production and are not so widely established as polymer matrix composites. The biggest disadvantages of MMCs are their high costs of fabrication, which has placed limitations on their actual applications [20]. There are also advantages in some of the physical attributes of MMCs such as no significant moisture absorption properties, non-inflammability, low electrical and thermal conductivities and resistance to most radiations [21]. MMCs have existed for the past 30 years and a wide range of MMCs have been studied [19]. STRENGTHENING MECHANISM OF FIBRE REINFORCED COMPOSITE

In such type of composite the reinforcing phase carries the bulk of the load and the matrix transfers the load to the reinforcing phase by the mechanism of seam. The high strength of the reinforcing phase restrict the free elongation of the matrix especially in its vicinity, whereas later is free to elongate at some distance away from the former. This type of non uniform deformation of the matrix leads to a shear stress at the matrix reinforcement interface which results tensile stress at the reinforcing phase. Thus the stress is transferred to the reinforcing phase. The fibers either may be continuous or discontinuous in the matrix. In the former case the load is directly applied to the reinforcing phase and stress is constant over its entire length. In case of discontinuous fibers, the stress in the fibre increased from zero value at the end to a maximum value in the centre and thus average tensile strength developed is always less than those of continuous fibers. For the same when the fracture of the reinforcing phase, therefore the strength of the discontinuous fibre reinforced composite increases with increasing the length of the fibre and artifacts that of the continuous fibre reinforced one. Also the strength of the fibre reinforced composite will be maximum when the fibres are aligned in the direction of the applied stress i.e in the isostrain condition. So the strength of this kind of composite depends on the volume fraction of the reinforcing element present in the composite, which can be determined by the simple rule of mixtures. STRENGTHENING MECHANISM OF PARTICULATE COMPOSITE In the particulate reinforced composite the size of the particulate is more than 1 m, so it strengthens the composite in two ways. First one is the particulate carry the load along with the matrix materials and another way is by formation of incoherent interface between the particles and the matrix. So a larger number of dislocations are generated at the interface, thus material gets strengthened. The degree of strengthening depends on the amount of particulate (volume fraction), distribution, size and shape of the particulate etc.

Does any body know who to use Taguchi method for design of experiment?
Yes, Lots of people know how to do Taguchi DOEs. Designing, conducting and interpreting a DOE or any designed experiment can be very complicated. There are way more ways to do it wrong than there are to do it right. First critical thing is what is the response or what are the responses you are going to measure.? If you are going to the time, effort, and expense of a DOE, you want to measure as many responses as you can to gain maximum value. Second critical thing is how good are those measurements. If you have not done so, it is highly recommended that you determine exactly how good (or bad) yourmeasurement system is. Do a GR&R or other statistical measurement system analysis. There is no reason to even start a DOE if your measurement system is not capable of repeatedly and reproducibly telling you the "truth". I assume you are planning an experiment so you can change your process in some way. You need to think this through so you understand exactly what the goal is. Are you trying to move the average result in one direction or are

you trying to keep the average result where it is and reduce the variation around that average or are you trying to both move the average and reduce the variation? You also need to consider how the responses behave and what your "design space" is. If the response/s and the interactions between input factors will always be linear, then you may not need to include center points. If you don't know, it is recommended to include some conditions that will check for linearity. Once you deal with these issues, then you can tackle the DOE design. If you have never done a DOE, I suggest you start with a simple full factorial design with some replicates.