Abstract

AGUILAR-MARTINEZ, J.A.; HERNANDEZ, M.B.; CASTILLO-TORRES, J  and  PECH-CANUL, M.I.. Effect of particle size and Mg content on the processing parameters of Al-Si-Mg/SiC_p composites processed by pressureless infiltration. Rev. mex. fis. [online]. 2007, vol.53, n.3, pp.198-204. ISSN 0035-001X.

The effect of the following processing parameters, namely SiC particle size (20 and 75 µm) and Mg content (3 and 6 wt.%), on residual porosity and on the degree of infiltration for SiC_p preforms by Al-Si-Mg alloys were investigated and quantified (here the subscript p means particles). The contribution of each of these parameters to the infiltration mechanism was determined employing an analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the effect of the levels of each parameter was examined using a surface response analysis. ANOVA results show that particle size is the parameter that most significantly affects the degree of infiltration and residual porosity. A surface response analysis shows that the degree of infiltration increases with an increase in magnesium content. The increasing rate in the degree of infiltration is higher for 20 µm than for 75 µm of SiC, whereas residual porosity diminishes with decreasing particle size; these two effects occur for both Mg concentrations in the alloy. Accordingly, the optimum parameters for a maximum degree of infiltration as well as for a minimum residual porosity are 20 µm SiC powders and 6 wt.% Mg in the alloy.

Keywords : Degree of infiltration; processing parameters; surface response analysis; Al-Si-Mg Alloy.

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