Intermetallic-reinforced light-metal matrix in-situ composites

Transition-metal trialuminide intermetallics such as Al3Zr and Al3Ti, having low densities and high elastic moduli, are good candidates for the in-situ reinforcement of light-metal matrices based on Al and Mg alloys. In this work, in-situ composites based on Al and Al-Mg matrices reinforced with an Al3Zr intermetallic were successfully processed by conventional ingot metallurgy. The microstructural studies showed that "needle" or "feathery"-like particles of Al3Zr phase, whose volume fraction increased with increasing concentration of Zr, were formed in the Al matrix in the investigated range of Zr contents from 0.9 to 11.6 at. pct. Properties of Al-Zr alloys were investigated as a function of volume fraction of Al3Zr. It is shown that the density, hardness, and yield strength of the in-situ Al/Al3Zr composites can be quite adequately described by the composite rule-of-mixtures (ROM) behavior. Alloying of a binary Al-2.4 at. pct Zr alloy with Mg up to similar to25 at. pct reduces profoundly its density and, additionally, strengthens the matrix by a Mg solid-solution strengthening mechanism.