Production of Al-SiC-TiC hybrid composites using pure and 1056 aluminum powders prepared through microwave and conventional heating methods

In the present study aluminum-15 wt% SiC-7 wt% TiC metal matrix composites containing two different aluminum powders (pure and 1056) as matrix were fabricated through microwave and conventional sintering methods. Sintering process was carried out at 650 and 750 degrees C in graphite bed in conventional and microwave furnaces for 1 h and without soaking time, respectively. Results indicate that the highest relative density (96.32 +/- 0.3), bending strength (340 +/- 14 MPa) and microhardness (192 +/- 10 Vickers) corresponded to the composite containing 1056 aluminum sintered at 750 degrees C in microwave furnace. XRD patterns revealed aluminum, SiC and TiC as the only crystalline phases. SEM investigations showed a uniform particle distribution for both reinforcements for all composites containing two different aluminum types as matrix sintered through both conventional and microwave methods. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.