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For reducing the forming cost of the PAN-based carbon fibre preforms, a water glass binder was used as a substitute for conventional silica binder. The preforms were infiltrated with an aluminium alloy melt by squeeze casting to fabricate the fibre-reinforced composites. The microstructure and properties of the composites were compared to the composites using the silica binder. In the composites, the water glass binder mainly remained in the vicinity of the fibre–aluminium interface and partially distributed in the matrix. The reaction near the interface between the alloy melt and binder was not recognised. The thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity and the compressive strength of the composites using the water glass binder were approximately equivalent to those of the composite using the silica binder. Based on these results, the water glass can be used as an alternative binder to the silica sol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure aluminium and high-silicon aluminium alloy were reinforced with the discontinuous pitchbased carbon fibres by squeeze casting, then the thermal conductivity and the mechanical properties of the composites were investigated. Optical microscopy revealed that the fibres were in a random planar arrangement, and the transmission electron microscopy revealed that there is no interfacial reaction between the matrices and the fibres. The random planar arrangement of the fibres leads to the anisotropy of the composite. The fibre-reinforcement increased the thermal conductivity in the parallel direction for both pure aluminium and its alloy matrices, while the thermal conductivity decreased in the vertical direction. The increase in the elastic modulus by the reinforcement was not observed for both matrices. The proof stress of the pure aluminium increased by the reinforcement especially in the parallel direction, while that of the high-silicon alloy decreased by the reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminium composites reinforced with the PAN- and pitch-based short carbon fibres were fabricated by squeeze casting, then the thermal expansion behaviour of the composites was investigated. Optical microscopy revealed that the fibres were in a random arrangement on the plane parallel to the pressed plane during the melt infiltration process. TEM observation and hardness test revealed that the PAN-based fibre bonds strongly with the aluminium matrix while the pitch-based fibre bonds poorly. The difference in the bonding strength affected the thermal strain response; the heating and cooling curve approximately traced the same paths during the heating-cooling cycles for the PAN-based fibre composite, while the curve did not trace the same path for the pitch-based fibre composite. The fibre-reinforcement decreased the coefficient of the thermal expansion (CTE) of matrices in the direction parallel to the pressed plane. For example, the CTE of the pure aluminium and its composite at 333 K were 23.0 and 19.0 × 10−6/K, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alumina fiber-reinforced aluminum alloy composites were prepared by squeeze casting, and the effect of the reinforcement on the machinability of the alloy was investigated. Two kinds of short alumina fibers, which have the same fiber size but different hardness, were used. Preform in which the fibers were in a random arrangement was formed with SiO2binder, and then was infiltrated with the alloy melt to prepare the composite. The fiber–matrix interfacial bond via the binder is sufficient and no reaction product was detected. The cutting force of the alloy was reduced by the fiber-reinforcement. The lower the hardness of the fiber in the composite, the lower the cutting force of the composite. The roughness of the machined surface was drastically decreased by the reinforcement. Observation of the chip formed on the machined surface indicated that the fiber suppressed the formation of the built-up-edge, and this fact would lead to the reduction in the surface roughness by the reinforcement. The chips were shortened by the reinforcement. The difference in hardness of the alumina fiber hardly affected the roughness and the chip morphology. The hardness of the fiber has a strong effect to decrease the tool life. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]