STRUCTURAL STUDY ON THE TERNARY-SYSTEM AL -SI-C PREPARED BY MECHANICAL ALLOYING

Solid phase method is preferred to elaborate metal matrix composite ra ther than liquid one. in order to avoid problems like an heterogeneous distribution of reinforcements, a bad wetting of the latter. This stu dy states about the experimental conditions to obtain an Al/SiCp compo site with a Mechanical Alloying process, starting from the pure elemen ts Al, Si, C. The Al/SiCp powder composite could not be created from a single energetic milling of the elements-Al, Si, C, which would have reduced the number of preparation stages. Nevertheless, by an other wa y, consisting of a two stages mechanical alloying, a composite constit uted with the aluminium matrix, a betaSiC phase, and an amorphous phas e has been formed.