Pretreatment process of SiC particles and fabrication technology of SiC particulate reinforced Zn–Al alloy matrix composite

Abstract

In the present paper, a novel pretreatment process for SiC particulate and a new mechanical–electromagnetic combination stirring process for fabricating Zn–Al(ZA27)/SiC_p composites are described. The optimal pretreatment route and the most appropriate SiC particle parameters were experimentally determined. The pretreated SiC particles were easily incorporated and dispersed in the ZA27 alloy melt and were not agglomerated before addition to the melt. The surface status of the SiC particles before and after pretreatment was observed and analysed by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that gas existing on the SiC particle surfaces by physical and chemical absorption was a significant hindrance to the incorporation and dispersion of SiC particles in the alloy melt. The gas absorption was induced by ultrafine SiC powders, fracture steps, and ions existing on the SiC particle surfaces. The carbon, silicon, and oxygen contents on the SiC surface were varied with different pretreatment techniques. Moreover, a dense layer of amorphous SiO₂, which improves wetting of SiC particles in the ZA27 melt, was formed owing to calcination of SiC particles in air. The new combined stirring process exploits the advantages of both mechanical and electromagnetic stirring of the melt at the different processing stages during fabrication. The microstructural characteristics of the resulting composites are: homogeneously distributed SiC particles, fewer macro gas blows and inclusions, and little shrinkage porosity in comparison to composites fabricated by a mechanical stirring process. Finally, the mechanisms of degassing and reducing the porosity and the number of oxide inclusions are discussed.