Aluminum powder size and microstructure effects on properties of boron nitride reinforced aluminum matrix composites fabricated by semi-solid powder metallurgy

Al matrix composite reinforced by hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) with nearly full densification was successfully fabricated by the semi-solid powder metallurgy technique. The h-BN/Al composites were synthesized with elemental pure Al powder size of d₅₀=35, 12 and 2 μm. The powder morphology and the structural characteristics of the composites were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The density, Brinell hardness and compressive behavior of the samples were characterized. Density measurement of the Al composites revealed that the composite densification can be effectively promoted by plenty of embedded liquid phase under pressure. Composites prepared using Al powder with varying granularity showed different grain characteristics, and in situ recrystallization occurred inside the original grains with 35 μm Al powder. A sharp interface consisting of Al/Al₂O₃/h-BN was present in the composites. Both the compressive strength and the fracture strain of the investigated composites increased with the decrease of the Al powder size, along with the Brinell hardness. The composite with 2 μm Al powder exhibited the highest relative density (99.3%), Brinell harness (HB 128), compressive strength (763 MPa) and fracture strain (0.299).