Exploration on Process to Compound Situ Al3Fe Enhanced Al Matrix Composite Material with Self-made Equipment

• 1、School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116

Abstract：Al matrix composite materials have wide application prospects for their outstanding performance, such as low density, high strength and stiffness, good abrasion performance, favorable electrical and thermal conductivity, nice dimensional stability. However, expensive production cost astricts the application of the Al matrix composite materials. This research aims to explore a process to compound Al matrix composite materials with good performance using simple equipment and to reduce the production cost. According to the experiment requirement, We make a crucible melting and automatic casting equipment which is small in size, convenience and has high automaticity. This equipment can realize the all experiment procedure including heat up, heat preservation, rabbling and pouring. The matrix material of the experiment was commercial purity aluminium. Fe in the alloy is added by precast blocks which are mixed in proportion with Fe powder and cryolite into Al melt. Mechanical rabbling can make the distribution of Fe in Al matrix more uniform. The effects of reaction temperature, the pretreatment of Fe power and remelting treatment on microstructure of final Al3Fe are analysed by optical microscopy, EDS and XRD. The results shows that the optimal reaction temperature is 850℃，the pretreatment of Fe power has weak effect on final microstructure of Al3Fe, the remelting treatment can refine the Al3Fe well.

Keywords： composite material Al Al3Fe microstructure production process