Effect of interfacial microstructure on the thermal-mechanical properties of mesophase pitch-based carbon fiber reinforced aluminum composites

Metal Matrix Composite in Heat Sink Application: Reinforcement, Processing, and Properties

“…Aluminum, being lighter, has a high specific thermal conductivity, which makes it the leading matrix material for heat sink composites in automotive and aerospace electronics, and also in portable electronic devices [ 101 , 102 , 103 , 104 , 105 , 106 ]. However, the high coefficient of thermal expansion (~23 × 10 −6 K −1 ) of aluminum is compensated by reinforcement with carbides (SiC [ 33 , 101 , 107 , 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 , 112 ], B 4 C [ 105 ]), nitride (BN [ 107 , 113 ], Si 3 N 4 [ 114 ], AlN [ 111 , 115 ]), oxides (Al 2 O 3 [ 107 ]), diamond [ 102 , 106 , 116 , 117 , 118 , 119 , 120 , 121 , 122 , 123 , 124 , 125 , 126 ], graphite flakes [ 68 , 127 , 128 , 129 ], and carbon fibers [ 39 , 130 , 131 , 132 , 133 ].…”

“…Tokunaga et al [ 133 ] achieved a thermal conductivity of 323 Wm −1 K −1 with 40 vol% reinforcement of carbon fibers in aluminum matrix with Al-12.2 mass% Si alloy (10 vol%). Pei et al [ 132 ] reinforced carbon fibers into AA6063 matrix. A thermal conductivity of 407 Wm −1 K −1 along the fiber direction with a very low coefficient of thermal expansion between −0.26 × 10 −6 K −1 and 0.26 × 10 −6 K −1 was reported.…”

“…The low-temperature processing ability along with rapid infiltration and solidification have made this technique more attractive for the fabrication of AMCs [ 80 , 106 , 109 , 120 , 132 ]. The infiltration and solidification times are too short for the formation of interfacial compound (Al 4 C 3 ).…”

“…The infiltration and solidification times are too short for the formation of interfacial compound (Al 4 C 3 ). No graphitization of carbon fibers was observed in the fabrication of AMC by this method [ 132 ]. Neither the formation of interfacial Al 4 C 3 nor any reaction between diamond reinforcements and Si when present in the AMC matrix were observed [ 102 ].…”

In Situ Study on Fracture Behavior of Z-Pinned Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composite via Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

“…Carbon fiber-reinforced aluminum matrix composites (Cf/Al) have drawn great attention in automotive and aerospace applications due to their high specific strength, high specific modulus, high thermal conductivity, and good fatigue properties [1,2,3]. However, a major concern with the application of Cf/Al laminated composites is the delamination that results from through-thickness stresses or impact loads, which lead to the reduction of the in-plane mechanical properties and even structural instability of the component [4,5].…”