Method of fabricating a metal aluminide composite

Abstract

Abstract A softer metal such as aluminum, or a metal forming a metal aluminide, or an alloy containing these metals is added to a metal aluminide composite during fabrication to promote easy consolidation of the metal aluminide matrix with the reinforcing phase. The metal aluminide may be titanium aluminide, nickel aluminide, or iron aluminide. The softer metal, the metal aluminide matrix, and the reinforcing phase are pressed together at a temperature above the softening temperature of the softer metal. The softened metal promotes flow and consolidation of the matrix and the reinforcement at relatively low temperatures. The composite is held at an elevated temperature to diffuse and convert the soft metal phase into the metal aluminide matrix. By consolidating at a lower temperature, cracking tendencies due to thermal expansion differences between the matrix and reinforcement is reduced. By consolidating at a lower pressure, mechanical damage to the fibers is avoided.

Inventors

• 👤 Amit K. Ghosh

Bibliographic Details