MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF IN-SITUFeAl-TiB2 INTERMETALLIC MATRIX COMPOSITES

Intermetallic matrix composites reinforced with ceramic particles have received a great deal of attention. Iron aluminide is known to be a good material for the matrix in such composites. Two processes were used to fabricate FeAl-TiB2 intermetallic matrix composites. One was liquid melt in-situ mixing, and the other was arc melting and suction casting processes. FeAl-TiB2 IMCs obtained by two different methods were investigated to elucidate the influence of TiB2 content. In both methods, the grain size in the FeAl alloy decreased with the presence of titanium diboride. The grain size of in-situFeAl-TiB2 IMCs became smaller than that of arc FeAl-TiB2 IMCs. Significant increase in fracture stress and hardness was achieved in the composites. The in-situ process gives clean, contamination-free matrix/reinforcement interface which maintained good bonding causing high load bearing capability. This contributed to the increase in the mechanical properties of composites.