Metal matrix composites (MMCs) possess excellent physical and mechanical properties. The filler reinforcement into the metallic matrix improves the stiffness, specific strength, wear, creep and fatigue properties compared to the conventional engineering materials. The present work is a study of the effect of reinforcement of different types of fillers in metal matrix and their merits and demerits. Effect of different dispersion on the mechanical properties like tensile strength, strain, hardness, wear and fatigue of MMCs and its different applications are also highlighted in the paper. [7][8][9] and borides (TiB2) [8][9][10][11][12][13] have been used as dispersion. As ceramic reinforcements Carborundum, Sic and alumina are widely used in these MMCs. Moreover, different allotropes of carbon like carbon black, fullerenes and carbon nanotubes [15][16][17][18][19][20] have also been investigated by several researchers. CNTs are potential candidates as they confer very high mechanical properties to the metal matrix. They also increase the electrical conductivity, which makes MMCs very attractive materials for electrical applications. Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and multi wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) both are used as reinforcement in MMCs. Copper-0.1 wt.% MWCNT composites revealed a 47% increase in hardness and bronze-0.1 wt.% SWCNT showed a 20% improved electrical conductivity [18,19]. Intermetallic compounds like (NiAl, Al 3 Ti) have also been dispersed in MMCs [15][16][17][18][19]. AlAl3Ti nanocomposite showed good mechanical properties at high temperature [17][18][19][20], while TiAl-NiAl MMCs revealed high hardness but poor fracture toughness [12,17].
Keywords: Introduction
Preparation Methods and Propertiespreparation of MMnCs by conventional casting processes results in an inhomogeneous distribution of particles within the matrix due to low wettability of ceramic nano-particles. For the largescale production of metal matrix nanocomposites, the main problem to face is the low wettability of ceramic nano-particles, which does not allow the preparation of MMCs by conventional casting