Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Aluminium Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract

Over the last thirty years, composite materials, plastics and ceramics have been the dominant emerging materials. The volume and number of applications of composite materials have grown steadily, penetrating and conquering new markets relentlessly. Modern composite materials constitute a significant proportion of the engineering materials market ranging from everyday products to applications in automobile and aerospace engineering. While composite has already proven their worth as weight-saving materials, the current challenge is to make the is to make them cost effective. The efforts to produced economically attractive composite component have resulted in several innovative manufacturing techniques currently being used in the composite industry. It is obvious, especially for composites, that the improvement in manufacturing technology alone is not enough to overcome the cost hurdle. It is essential that there be an integrated effort in design, material, process, tooling, quality assurance, manufacturing and even program management for composites to become competitive with metals.