Improvement of microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ91/SiC composite by mechanical alloying

AZ91 magnesium alloy reinforced with SiC particulates was fabricated via po wder metallurgy technique as well as mechanical alloying process where a pl anetary ball mill was employed. Microstructure and mechanical properties of the fabricated AZ91 composites had been evaluated. Microstructural study s howed that grain size of the material was refined and SiC particulates were well distributed after mechanical alloying. Mechanical tests of the compos ite showed an enhanced yield and ultimate tensile strengths for the mechani cally alloyed samples compared with those prepared via the powder metallurg ical route. (C) 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers.