Characterization of aluminium matrix composites reinforced by Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystalline particles

Abstract Aluminium matrix composites were consolidated from elemental Al powder and atomised Al 65 Cu 20 Fe 15 particles by vacuum hot pressing technique. The spherical Al 65 Cu 20 Fe 15 particles consisted of icosahedral quasicrystalline dendrites or cells and cubic τ-AlCu(Fe) phase located in interdendritic areas. The composites with different content of the reinforcement particles (20, 40 and 60 wt%) were prepared. All composites showed density about 99% and a good bonding between the Al 65 Cu 20 Fe 15 particles and the matrix. It was shown that the phase composition of the atomised particles did not change after consolidation for the composite containing 20% and 40% added particles while Al 2 Cu precipitates formed at the Al/Al 65 Cu 20 Fe 15 interfaces and inside the matrix in the composite with 60% of Al 65 Cu 20 Fe 15 particles. With the increase of the volume fraction of the reinforcement in the composite the hardness as well as compressive strength increased reaching the value of 173 HV 0.5 and 370 MPa, respectively for 60% of Al 65 Cu 20 Fe 15 particles. The friction coefficient slightly varied in the range 0.5–0.7 depending on the composition.