MMC PROCESSING

• A metal matrix composite (MMC) is composite

material with at least two constituent parts, one
being a metal necessarily, the other material may
be a different metal or another material, such as a
ceramic or organic compound
• Conventional monolithic materials have limitations
in achieving good combination of strength,
stiffness, toughness and density
 MMC
Processing
Methods

Solid State Liquid State In-Situ

Sintering Stir Casting

Diffusion
Infiltration
Bonding

Squeeze Casting
Co-deposition

Pressure Die
Infiltration
Sintering
• powder of a matrix metal is mixed with a
powder of dispersed phase in form of
particles or short fibers
• subsequent compacting and sintering in
solid state
• consolidation of powder grains by heating
the “green” compact part to a high
temperature below the melting point
• material of the separate particles diffuse to
the neighboring powder particles
• allows obtaining materials containing up to
50% of dispersed phase
• combined with a deformation operation, the
fabrication methods are called:
• Hot Pressing Fabrication of Metal Matrix
Composites
• Hot Isostatic Pressing Fabrication of Metal
Matrix Composites
• Hot Powder Extrusion Fabrication of Metal
Matrix Composites

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Diffusion Bonding
• matrix in form of foils and a dispersed phase
in form of long fibers are stacked in a
particular order and then pressed at
elevated temperature
• The finished laminate composite material
has a multilayer structure
• Diffusion Bonding is used for fabrication of
simple shape parts (plates, tubes)
• Low temperature compared to other
operations
• Variants
• Roll Bonding is a process of combined
Rolling (hot or cold) strips of two different
metals (e.g. steel and aluminum alloy)
resulted in formation of a laminated
composite material with a metallurgical
bonding between the two layers.
• Wire/fiber Winding is a process of combined
winding continuous ceramic fibers and
metallic wires followed by pressing at
elevated temperature

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Co-Deposition
• matrix metal is deposited together with the
dispersed phase by one of the deposition
techniques
• Electrolytic co-deposition
• Electroplating technique
• electrolyte solution of matrix metal ions contains
suspended particles of dispersed phase. When
the matrix metal is deposited on a substrate, the
dispersed phase particles are entrapped by the
coating, reinforcing the matrix material.
• Spray co-deposition
• Thermal spraying technique for atomizing molten
matrix metal
• droplets of which are delivered to a substrate in a
high velocity gas stream together with dispersed
phase particles supplied to the stream from a
separate container
• Vapor co-deposition
• group of various methods, utilizing materials in
vapor state
• Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD),
• Evaporation
• Sputtering
• Arc evaporation
• Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
• coating of solid material is formed as a result of
vapor condensation or chemical reaction on a
substrate surface
• Usually used for coating fibers

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S. Kumar, S. Ramanathan, and S. Sundarrajan, “Synthesis , microstructural and mechanical properties of ex situ zircon particles ( ZrSiO 4 ) reinforced Metal Matrix Composites ( MMCs ): a
review,” Mater. Res. Technol., vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 333–347, 2015.
Stir Casting
• It is a liquid state method of composite materials
fabrication
• dispersed phase (ceramic particles, short fibres) is mixed
with a molten matrix metal by means of mechanical
stirring
• liquid composite material is then cast by conventional
casting methods
• simplest and the most cost effective method of liquid
state fabrication
• Difficult to achieve uniform dispersion of reinforcement
particles
• Viscocity of the molten matrix is very critical in having a
uniform distribution of reinforcement particles
• Content of dispersed phase is limited (usually not more
than 30 vol.%).
• Distribution of dispersed phase throughout the matrix is
not perfectly homogeneous:
• There may be local clouds (clusters) of the dispersed
particles (fibers);
• There may be gravity segregation of the dispersed phase
due to a difference in the densities of the dispersed and
matrix phase.

S. Kumar, S. Ramanathan, and S. Sundarrajan, “Synthesis , microstructural and mechanical properties of ex situ zircon particles ( ZrSiO 4 ) reinforced Metal Matrix Composites ( MMCs ): a
review,” Mater. Res. Technol., vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 333–347, 2015.
http://www.substech.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=liquid_state_fabrication_of_metal_matrix_composites
Infiltration Process
• a preformed dispersed phase (ceramic
particles, fibers, woven) is soaked in a
molten matrix metal, which fills the space
between the dispersed phase inclusions
• Spontaneous Infiltration - The motive force
of an infiltration process may be either
capillary force
• Forced Infiltration - an external pressure
(gaseous, mechanical, electromagnetic,
centrifugal or ultrasonic) applied to the
liquid matrix phase.
• Gas Pressure Infiltration method is used for
manufacturing large composite parts
• The method allows using non-coated fibers
due to short contact time of the fibers with
the hot metal
• results in low damage of the fibers

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Squeeze Casting:
• forced infiltration method of liquid
phase fabrication of Metal Matrix
Composites
• using a movable mold part (ram) for
applying pressure on the molten
metal
• forcing it to penetrate into a
performed dispersed phase, placed
into the lower fixed mold part
• combination of both casting and
forging to produce a near net shape
component
• Also called compocasting
• low shrinkage, gas porosity, and
enhanced mechanical properties due
to fine grain structure caused by
rapid solidification as well as good
surface quality

S. Kumar, S. Ramanathan, and S. Sundarrajan, “Synthesis , microstructural and mechanical properties of ex situ zircon particles ( ZrSiO 4 ) reinforced Metal Matrix Composites ( MMCs ): a
review,” Mater. Res. Technol., vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 333–347, 2015.
http://www.substech.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=liquid_state_fabrication_of_metal_matrix_composites
Pressure Die Infiltration:
• using a Die casting
technology
• preformed dispersed
phase (particles, fibers) is
placed into a die (mold)
• then filled with a molten
metal entering the die
through a sprue and
penetrating into the
preform under the
pressure of a movable
piston (plunger)
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In-Situ Processing
• In-situ processing involves chemical reactions that result in
the creation of reinforcing phase within a metal matrix
• The reinforcements is formed from the melt during its
cooling and solidification
• Dispersed phases of in situ fabricated Metal Matrix
Composites may consist of intermetallic compounds,
carbides, borides, oxides
• In situ synthesized particles and fibers are smaller than those
in materials with separate fabrication of dispersed phase (ex-
situ MMCs). Fine particles provide better strengthening
effect;
• provides more homogeneous distribution of the dispersed
phase particles
• The reinforcement surfaces are also likely to be free of
contamination and, therefore, a stronger matrix-dispersion
bond can be achieved
• Choice of the dispersed phases is limited by thermodynamic
ability of their precipitation in particular matrix
• Unidirectional solidification of a eutectic alloy (alloy of
eutectic composition) may result in formation of eutectic
structure, in which one of the components has a form of long
continuous filaments.

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