Manufacture studies and impact behaviour of light metal matrix composites reinforced by steel wires

Abstract Magnesium alloys play an important role in the development of light metal matrix composites. Magnesium based metal matrix composites reinforced by particles and fibres (especially carbon fibres) are successfully applied in various fields of automotive and aircraft industry. Equally high potential in large-batch production regarding to relatively low price and high strength is expected from MMC with wires made of iron-based alloys. However, their application is hampered by the absence of intermetallic phase between iron and magnesium and low solubility of iron in magnesium. This paper makes a contribution to the investigation of the effect of steel wires surface preparation and of optimised production methods to improve the quality and type of adhesion with selected industrial magnesium alloys. The Fe/Mg-MMC specimens with steel wires reinforcement were manufactured by the help of advanced gas pressure infiltration method (GPI) in a graphite mould at Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK) of TU Dresden. For the examination of the obtained composites the computer tomography (CT), SEM microscopy with EDX, strength tests and fracture surface inspection has been used.