The fabrication and wear properties of C/Al and (C plus SiC)/Al composites based on wood template

Wood with its rational and magical inner structures was used as a template to fabricate C/Al and (C+SiC)/Al composites in this research. The carbon frame was first pyrolyzed from the wood template. The final composites were then obtained by infiltrating Al alloy and silicone resin into the carbon frame. The microstructures and the wear properties of these products were analyzed. The results show that the structures of the C/Al and (C+SiC)/Al composites are controlled by the natural structures of the wood. Moreover, the carbon in the composites reduced the wear rate of the Al alloy as an efficient lubricant. Compared with the C/Al composite, the (C+SiC)/Al composite shows better wear resistance because of silicon carbide. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.