Metal matrix composites (MMCs) consist of two or more immiscible, physically and chemically very different phases, while the dominant phase is a metal. The combination of a metallic matrix with and reinforcement phases can, depending on the system at hand, lead to several advantageous properties in comparison with conventional alloys, such as increased stiffness, lower coefficient of thermal expansion or good wear resistance, which can be put to advantage of the generally observed decrease in ductility or toughness are mitigated. There are numerous ways of producing MMCs; a method that is frequently employed is powder metallurgy as it do not require any specialized equipment. It can furthermore offer an excellent dispersion of the reinforcing elements; however cracking, void formation and improper bonding are often encountered problems. To overcome the listed issues associated with solid-state sintering our laboratory uses an internal in-situ reaction methodology followed by hot-rolling.
In this semester project, the student will incorporate carbon into iron based MMCs to produce steel based manganese-silicate containing metal-matrix composites in accordance with a previously developed sintering methodology. The student will prepare the powder mixtures, obtain the greenbodies through unidirectional compaction and cold-isostatic pressing and then sinter them accordingly. Standard metallographic preparation will follow before observing the microstructure using optical and scanning electron miscropy. Lastly, the samples will be hot-rolled into rod shaped specimens, which will impart directional properties and pore free structure to the material, while allowing us to test the mechanical properties of these sintered specimens by carrying out tensile tests.
Responsible supervisors: Sándor Lipcsei
Contact: [email protected]