Network distribution of reinforcements in composites produced by sintering: microstructure formation and influence on consolidation behavior and properties

Abstract

Sintering of powder mixtures is one of the widely used production methods of composite materials. The distribution of the reinforcement phases in these composites is a function of both initial powder structure and sintering conditions. Based on the recent literature and experimental results obtained by the authors, this article discusses a specific type of reinforcement distribution®the network distribution®in composites produced by sintering of powder mixtures. Examples of the influence of networks of different nature on sintering of metal and ceramic matrices are presented for continuous structures composed of carbon nanotubes and quasi-continuous structures of smaller particles located at boundaries between larger particles. The principles of the microstructure formation in composites with networks formed by ceramic particles, particles of metallic glass and carbon nanotubes are analyzed. Unusual properties of composites with metal and ceramic matrices achieved by organizing reinforcements in networks are discussed.