Comparison between the effects of microwave and conventional sintering on the microstructure and mechanical properties of metal-base Al-WC composites

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
Ehsan Ghasali
Amir Hossein Marzbanpour
Sama Vocational Technical Institute, Islamic Azad University of Eslamshahr, Tehran, Iran
/amnc.2015.4.15.6
Abstract
In this research, aluminum-tungsten carbide metal-base composites were fabricated by microwave
and conventional sintering methods and compared. Three-point bending strength specimens
were prepared with uniaxial press at 250 MPa and then were sintered in graphite bed at
650 °C and 750 °C in microwave and conventional furnaces for 1 minute and 1hour, respectively.
Density and mechanical properties (bending and compressive strength and microhardness)
of samples were calculated. The highest bending strength of conventional and microwave
sintered samples were 143 and 231 MPa at 750 °C, respectively. XRD patterns showed the
decomposition of WC particles and formation of Al5W interfacial reaction product phases in
microwave heating method processes. SEM studies showed that WC reinforcement particles
had uniform distribution in Al matrix.
Keywords
Aluminum matrix composite
Tungsten Carbide
Microwave sintering
Nanostructure