Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Silicon-Carbide Particle-Reinforced Aluminum

Abstract

Increasingly stringent structural and electronic packaging requirements have exceeded the capabilities of traditionally used metallic materials in many applications. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are potential replacements. Silicon-carbide particle-reinforced aluminum (SiCp/Al) is an attractive candidate because of its excellent mechanical properties, tailorable coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and high thermal conductivity. At present, there is very limited property data available for this material. This paper presents material properties of selected SiCp/Al composites, evaluated at the General Electric Astro Space Division, including a discussion of the test methods used in their evaluation.