Optimizing the Parameters of Reactive Sintering for In-situ Fabrication of Al-Al2O3Composites

Fabrication of aluminum-based composites reinforced by ceramic particles or intermetallic phases has focused considerable attention in recent decades because significant improvement in mechanical properties and thermal stability. This paper has considered in-situ fabrication by mean of reactive sintering of blended and compacted powders containing an aluminum-copper hardenable alloy and titanium dioxide. An experimental program has been dedicated to optimize the sintering parameters in terms of both treatments temperature, between 650 and 800 degrees C, and duration, in the range of 3 to 6 hours. Microstructural analysis based on Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) has been used to determine of distribution of elements involved in sintering reactions, such as aluminum, titanium and oxygen.