Application of Nanosilicon to the Sintering of Mg-Mg2Si Interpenetrating Phases Composite

Abstract

The new in situ fabrication process for Mg-Mg2Si composites composed of interpenetrating metal/intermetallic phases via powder metallurgy was characterized. To obtain the designed composite microstructure, variable nanosilicon ((n)Si) (i.e., 2, 4, and 6 vol.% (n)Si) concentrations were mixed with magnesium powders. The mixture was ordered using a sonic method. The powder mixture morphologies were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and heating and cooling-induced thermal effects were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Composite sinters were fabricated by hot-pressing the powders under a vacuum of 2.8 Pa. Shifts in the sintering temperature resulted in two observable microstructures: (1) the presence of Mg2Si and MgO intermetallic phases in α-Mg (580 °C); and (2) Mg2Si intermetallic phases in the α-Mg matrix enriched with bands of refined MgO (640 °C). Materials were characterized by light microscopy (LM) with quantitative metallography, X-ray diffraction (XRD), open porosity measurements, hardness testing, microhardness testing, and nanoindentation. The results revealed that (n)Si in applied sintering conditions ensured the formation of globular and very fine Mg2Si particles. The particles bonded with each other to form an intermetallic network. The volume fraction of this network increased with (n)Si concentration but was dependent on sintering temperature. Increasing sintering temperature intensified magnesium vaporization, affecting the composite formation mechanism and increasing the volume fraction of silicide.

Residual Stress Induced by Addition of Nanosized TiC in Titanium Matrix Composite

“…Interest in using nanostructured materials increased due to the favorable mechanical, optical, magnetic, and electrical properties of those structures. Nanostructured materials can be obtained in severe plastic deformation [ 6 , 7 , 8 ], nanocrystallization with metallic glasses as precursors [ 9 , 10 ], the implementation of nanoparticles [ 11 , 12 ], sol-gel method, hydrothermal synthesis, coprecipitation, and many others [ 13 ].…”

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Hybrid AZ91 Magnesium Matrix Composite with Ti and SiC Particles

“…are also applied. The reinforcements are chiefly ceramic particles, short fibers or whiskers such as C graphite , SiC, TiC, Al 2 O 3 , TiN (or different carbides, oxides, nitrides) and fly ash microspheres, nanotubes, graphene or MAX phases [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. It should also be noted that in the last decade, metal-metal composites were also fabricated.…”