No abstract

The creation of wear resistant surface metal matrix composites in both aluminium alloys and titanium via the incorporation of preplaced SiCp has been successfully undertaken by using a 5 kW CO2 laser. The problems associated with the production of a metal matrix composite layer freefrom porosity, cavities, and cracks, with a satisfactory distribution of ceramic were considered. Optimum laser processing conditionsfor AI-SiCp gave a well distributed ceramic withfew defects, but limited to 35 j1m thickness. This was increased to 250 j1musing a preplacedmixture of Al powder and SiCp' A prep laced SiCp layer on commercially pure Ti resulted in a dissolution ofSiCp and precipitation of TiC, or the partial dissolution ofSiCp and agglomeration into a hard layer (1400 HV). Pin on disc wear tests indicated that surfaces could be produced via laser surface melting associated with preplaced SiC p which showed a similar wear resistance to bulk metal matrix composite Al alloy-SiCp, and an improvement of an order of magnitude for commercially pure Ti-SiCp surface metal matrix composites, over a commercially pure Ti laser treated surface.MST/3003

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract