Metal-Matrix Composites

Abstract

METAL-MATRIX COMPOSITES (MMCs) are a class of materials with potential for a wide variety of structural and thermal management applications. Metal-matrix composites are capable of providing higher-temperature operating limits than their base metal counterparts, and they can be tailored to give improved strength, stiffness, thermal conductivity, abrasion resistance, creep resistance, or dimensional stability. Unlike resin-matrix composites, they are nonflammable, do not outgas in a vacuum, and suffer minimal attack by organic fluids such as fuels and solvents. The principle of incorporating a high-performance second phase into a conventional engineering material to produce a combination with features not obtainable from the individual constituents is well known. In a MMC, the continuous, or matrix, phase is a monolithic alloy, and the reinforcement consists of high-performance carbon, metallic, or ceramic additions. Reinforced intermetallic compounds such as the aluminides of titanium, nickel, and iron are also discussed in this article. Section on Aluminum-Matrix composites includes 7 mentions of 6061.