Ceramic reinforced aluminum has been available for over 10 years. Cost has been a barrier to many applications but as these materials become better understood by engineers, their true value is emerging. The addition of ceramic particulate into aluminum alloys provides a new dimension in tailorability. Structural, thermal, and abrasion resistant properties are adjustable to provide customized materials that are castable and extrudable into complex shapes to near net shape for a wide variety of applications. This paper discusses examples from the automobile industry to illustrate two distinct families of aluminum metal matrix composites (AL MMC) and how their different properties make them attractive for widely different applications.
| Number of Pages : | 13 |
| Published : | 11/01/2000 |
