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This review examines the mechanical performance of metal- and polymer-based composites fabricated using additive manufacturing (AM) techniques. Composite materials have significantly influenced various industries due to their exceptional reliability and effectiveness. As technology advances, new types of composite reinforcements, such as novel chemical-based and bio-based, and new fabrication techniques are utilized to develop high-performance composite materials. AM, a widely popular concept poised to shape the development of Industry 4.0, is also being utilized in the production of composite materials. Comparing AM-based manufacturing processes to traditional methods reveals significant variations in the performance of the resulting composites. The primary objective of this review is to offer a comprehensive understanding of metal- and polymer-based composites and their applications in diverse fields. Further on this review delves into the intricate details of metal- and polymer-based composites, shedding light on their mechanical performance and exploring the various industries and sectors where they find utility.
Keywords:
3D printing, additive manufacturing, fiber composites, polymer, metal, mechanical properties
Additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as an advanced and innovative technique within the manufacturing industry. This technique, is also known as 3D printing, it has proven to be highly effective in utilizing reinforcements such as fillers and fibers in the fabrication of polymers and metals. By employing a layer-by-layer material deposition approach, AM enables the creation of composites, while conventional methods relying on subtractive manufacturing are used for comparable product development [1]. The utilization of AM offers several significant advantages, including cost-effectiveness and the ability to design and fabricate complex structures with precision and high quality. These advantages have positioned AM as a preferred technique, particularly in the aerospace and automotive sectors, where intricate and accurate products are in high demand. The development of 3D-printed composites has witnessed substantial progress over the last decade, and it is expected that these materials will play a pivotal role in revolutionizing diverse industries in the future [2,3].
The utilization of AM technology is widespread in aerospace, electrical, and biomedical applications [4]. However, in areas such as architecture and the construction industry, its implementation is still limited [5,6]. One notable advantage of AM is its ability to reduce material waste and lead times, offering a flexible manufacturing approach. Incorporating waste or natural fibers as additives hold great promise for enhancing the environmental impact of composite materials in these fields [7]. It is important to highlight that manufacturing natural fiber-reinforced composites using the AM process presents certain challenges. Factors such as fiber interactions, weight percentage, type, orientation, and length need to be carefully considered during composite material development. Nonetheless, AM serves as an excellent method for producing innovative and complex composite materials [7].
This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the current state of the art in the mechanical performance of metal and polymer-based composite materials fabricated through AM. The review is based on an extensive examination of scientific literature published within the last five years, utilizing reputable sources such as Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar. By analyzing the latest trends and research findings, this review highlights the advancements and potential applications of composite materials in the context of AM. This article serves as a comprehensive guide for researchers and professionals who seek to gain an understanding of the recent developments, challenges, and opportunities in the field of AM-based composite materials.
Composite materials produced using additive manufacturing (AM) techniques have undergone significant advancements throughout the years. Initially, AM methods such as stereolithography (SLA) and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) were utilized to create plastic prototypes. Subsequently, there was a development towards developing polymers and metal matrix-based composites using AM, primarily due to their ability to manufacture intricately shaped structures [8]. Further to enhance performance, high-performance composites were developed using carbon fiber and graphene, which exhibit improved thermal and electrical properties. Moreover, the AM concept extended to lightweight structural applications through the use of glass particles as reinforcement, combined with synthetic foam [9]. Among AM methods, FDM is particularly well-suited for fabricating polymer-based composites. Thermoplastic filaments are commonly employed in the FDM process. This method offers advantages such as low cost and the ability to vary chemical and mechanical properties. In addition to FDM, other familiar AM techniques used for manufacturing polymer-based composites include sheet lamination, material extrusion, photopolymerization, and powder bed fusion. Photopolymerization provides finer resolution compared to other methods. Material extrusion, on the other hand, is the simplest and most cost-effective method, making fabrication easier.
Metal composites-based additive manufacturing (AM) techniques are a specialized subset of additive manufacturing that focuses on fabricating components using metal matrix composites. These techniques involve the incorporation of reinforcement materials, such as ceramic or carbon fibers, within a metallic matrix. By combining the unique properties of different materials, metal composites offer enhanced mechanical strength, improved thermal properties, and increased lightweight capabilities [10]. Metal composites-based AM techniques, such as powder bed fusion (PBF) and directed energy deposition (DED), enable the production of complex and high-performance metal composite parts with precise control over material composition and fiber distribution. Several notable metal AM techniques are:
Powder Bed Fusion (PBF): PBF includes selective laser melting (SLM) and electron beam melting (EBM). In SLM, a high-powered laser selectively fuses metal powder particles layer by layer to create the desired metal part. EBM, on the other hand, uses an electron beam to melt the metal powder and form the object [11]. PBF techniques offer high precision, intricate geometries, and excellent material properties.
Directed Energy Deposition (DED): DED techniques, such as laser metal deposition (LMD) and electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3), involve depositing molten metal layer by layer onto a substrate or previous layers. This method is particularly useful for repairing or adding features to existing parts, as well as fabricating large-scale components [12].
Binder Jetting (BJ): Binder jetting utilizes a liquid binder to selectively bond metal powder particles together. The printed part is then subjected to a secondary process, such as sintering or infiltrating, to achieve the desired mechanical properties. BJ is known for its high productivity and suitability for producing complex geometries [13,14].
Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM): WAAM involves melting and depositing a metal wire using an electric arc. This technique is cost-effective and can be used for large-scale manufacturing. WAAM is commonly used in the aerospace, automotive, and maritime industries [15].
Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM): UAM employs ultrasonic vibrations to join layers of metal foils together. This technique allows for the integration of dissimilar metals and can be used for fabricating lightweight structures [16].
These metal-based AM techniques offer numerous advantages, including design freedom, reduced material waste, faster prototyping, and the ability to create complex and customized metal parts. They find applications in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, medical, and tooling, among others [17]. Continuous research and development efforts in metal AM are further advancing the capabilities and expanding the possibilities of metal-based additive manufacturing.
Metal-based functional graded materials play a crucial role in achieving high-quality welds and joints, particularly when dealing with complex shapes. However, there are various challenges associated with these materials, including their chemical, metallurgical, and thermal properties. The particular concern is the thermal property, as it presents a barrier for the material coating to withstand temperatures exceeding 1000 degrees Celsius and thicknesses greater than 10 mm [48]. Fortunately, additive manufacturing (AM) provides a promising solution for producing top-notch products that involve metal joining processes. Metals offer excellent functional properties, including lightweight structures and superior resistance to high temperatures and corrosive environments. By leveraging AM techniques, the fabrication of metal-based functional graded materials can be optimized to meet the demanding requirements of various applications [49].
When considering the strengths and weaknesses of fiber-based additive manufacturing (AM) products, the combination of fibers with metals yields favorable outcomes. Particularly for high-temperature applications, the impregnation between the fiber and the metal enhances bonding compared to using clean metal and fibers alone [50]. The mechanical performance of these composite materials is also significantly improved, with a 65% increase compared to fiber–fiber and metal–metal combinations. These advancements propel AM technology to the next level, enabling the production of more substantial polymer–metal parts [51].
In a study by Dong et al., the performance of titanium (Ti) and titanium alloys (TiB) manufactured through selective laser sintering was discussed. Among the metal powder-based composites, Ti-TiB stands out as a cost-effective option with excellent mechanical properties achieved by optimizing the process parameters. By incorporating TiB2 in varying weight percentages, ranging from 0.5 wt% to 2 wt%, into titanium, notable improvements were observed. Notably, Ti-0.5 wt% of TiB2 exhibited an enhanced tensile strength of 1813 MPa and a microhardness of HV 412 [52,53].
Cevik and Kam conducted a study on composite filaments using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method to examine their mechanical properties [54]. Through the addition of polymers with metals, improved mechanical properties such as impact strength, hardness, tensile strength, elastic modulus, fatigue strength, and yield strength were observed. In FDM, the selection of additives and their proportions play a crucial role in achieving desirable mechanical performance [55,56]. Furthermore, it was found that increasing the layer thickness and the diameter of the nozzle by 15% in the fill patterns of finished parts contributed to better mechanical properties [57].
In the context of composite materials, fatigue refers to the cyclic loading they experience during their operational lifespan. Fiber materials are commonly used in the manufacturing of leaf springs, but metal-based composites have demonstrated superior performance compared to fiber composites [58,59]. Metal-based composite laminates produced using AM techniques have shown better results. When compared to boron/epoxy and Kevlar/epoxy composite leaf springs, the metal-based composite exhibited 44% less stress and 38% higher stiffness [60].
The 40% HDPE/GME composite exhibits excellent adhesion during printing, and finite element analysis (FEA) of thermo-mechanical processes reveals a low distribution of thermal stress across different layers in the prints. This suggests that AM techniques offer improved strength compared to conventional methods in the manufacturing of metal composites [61,62].
To enhance the bonding between PLA layers, aluminum (Al) spray was deposited between the PLA layers. The incorporation of metal was varied at percentages of 40%, 70%, and 100%, while the bed temperature was adjusted between 60, 80, and 100 degrees. The highest bed temperature of 100 degrees facilitates better fusion and results in stronger bonding between layers. Moreover, higher temperatures increased the crystallinity of PLA in the composite, leading to enhanced heat transfer between layers [63].
A new class of materials known as metallic cellular solids possesses unique mechanical properties. illustrates a schematic representation of the fused filament fabrication (FFF) process. Fused filament fabrication was utilized to create lattice-structured patterns using PLA plaster and aluminum [64]. The honeycomb structure has a struct angle of zero, owing to deviations in the moment of inertia and cross-sectional area. Combining PLA with the aluminum model yields a well-defined metallic cellular lattice with high tolerances. Additionally, AM serves as a cost-effective alternative to conventional methods for fabricating metal composites [65].
Open in a separate windowWang et al. [67] studied the fracture and ductile failure mode behavior of aluminum (Al) prepared to produce composite additive manufacturing (CFAM) using cold spray-friction stir processing. There was no formation of defects such as pores and cracks noticed in the CFAM-manufactured composites. The layers of the composite were divided into three zones, namely top, bottom, and middle, the grain size distribution in various zones varies with the microstructure by the top zone (0.3–25 µm), middle (0.3–22 µm), and bottom (0.3–18 µm) which clearly define the perfect bonding and recrystallization of the AM samples.
Another important problem is the energy transfer through fluid channels, during AM technique usage. Compared to lightweight applications, the fluid transmitted through channels has more energy transfer and strength. The advantage of heat transfer during AM techniques is very essential to producing a higher energy conversion between the layers of metal laminates. The effective design of components and their performance is purely dependent on the channel flow of the multi-material and multi-process in the AM technique [68].
The high-performance integrated system is used in the selective laser sintering (SLS) process to enhance the mechanical properties of hybrid composites. When the microstructure of metallic components on the layer surface is refined, the surface micro-hardness is improved. It reduces the residual tensile and compressive stress between the layers of the hybrid composite. Using this technique, a reduction in residual stress is observed at approximately 310 MPa and 396 MPa, respectively with a depth of 0.9 mm.
The low- and high-speed composite impact resistance manufactured through the AM technique shows improved results. The multi-wall of carbon and aluminum absorbs very low energy during the time of low-velocity impact event, happening about 18.03% compared to other samples of carbon/aluminum. In the time of high velocity, an event that occurs for the same (carbon/aluminum) very low amount of velocity is observed between 84 m/s to 150 m/s. The particle and settlement of the metal on the fiber produce a superior property for the composite made through AM techniques [69].
The thermal expansion of the aluminum/titanium composite is measured for the composite produced through 3D printing. The alternative arrangement of increased titanium layers in the composite has better thermal expansion. The unique combination in the time of composite production acts as a potential barrier in transmitting the heat between the layers. The measured thermal expansion is around 17.1 × 10−6 K−1 and this is a control expansion that shows the accuracy of the composite model that gives greater thermal stability [70]. represents the characteristics of metal-based AM techniques.
The future scope of AM in the production of composite materials plays a predominant role in determining very important properties of composites, such as fatigue behavior, especially the composites prepared using the FDM technique. The impact on the fatigue behavior of the composites is considerably varied when compared to the ordinary process which is more helpful in biomedical applications [99]. Further studies have been carried out on the thermal and mechanical characteristics of FDM fiber-based composites [100,101] and reported that the FDM is the cheapest and most time-consuming method but leads to improved strength in strength for a few cases that can be drastically changed by altering the printing parameters that creates huge future scope for further research. The fire resistance properties of 3D-printed composites were also reported [102], which is another potential to explore more in research by varying the printing parameters. Another interesting review focusing on the recycling and reuse of AM materials [103] inferred the fact that there are huge potential huge opportunities for recycled polymers to be utilized in the development of AM products.
Although there have been many advancements in applying polymer 3D printing research to medical applications, there are still numerous obstacles to overcome. Material characteristics are controlled by design performance, and process parameters are based on fabrication consistency [104]. shows the progressive 3D printing technology and its application in medical materials. Chart showing the application area (yellow boxes), with corresponding products (blue boxes) and primary 3D printing techniques (green boxes). Improving 3D-printed polymer performance in medical applications requires the development of innovative, computational methodologies and integrated design methods that holistically incorporate process, design, and materials in the new product creation.
Open in a separate windowAlthough several 3D-printable polymer materials have been produced in recent years, it is not always easy to select materials for particular purposes. Material selection is crucial to generating a print with acceptable characteristics, but it is difficult since 3D-printed polymers have performance uncertainties and ranges that are dependent on the printing method and factors.
As discussed in previous sections, additive manufacturing has several advantages in the development of metal- and polymer-based composites. However, there are several challenges and limitations that prevent its widespread application [106]. The current challenges and limitations in composite additive manufacturing.
The need for specific properties such as printability, compatibility with the printing process, and post-processing requirements makes selecting appropriate composite materials for additive manufacturing difficult. Composite materials are frequently composed of multiple components, such as reinforcing fibers and matrix materials, and have complex formulations. Due to the unique rheological properties, viscosity, and fiber alignment of composite materials, achieving consistent and reliable printing parameters could be difficult. It is critical to optimize the printing process parameters for each specific composite material [107]. Furthermore, in composite materials, achieving desired fiber orientation and alignment is critical to ensuring desired mechanical properties. Additive manufacturing techniques struggle to precisely control fiber orientation during the printing process [108]. Anisotropic mechanical properties can result from random fiber orientation or misalignment, reducing the overall strength and performance of the printed parts.
Furthermore, proper reinforcing fiber distribution within the matrix is critical for optimal mechanical properties. Fibers are typically discontinuous and randomly distributed in some additive manufacturing processes, such as fused filament fabrication. This can result in uneven mechanical properties and decreased overall strength of the composites. To achieve the desired mechanical properties and surface finish of composite parts, post-processing steps such as curing, heat treatment, and machining may be required. These extra steps can add complexity, time, and cost to the manufacturing process. It is difficult to develop efficient post-processing techniques for additive composite manufacturing [109]. Composite additive manufacturing is frequently limited in terms of scale and production rate. While it excels at producing complex, low-volume parts, due to the time required for printing and post-processing, the process may not be as efficient for large-scale production. The challenge of scaling up the process while maintaining consistent quality and productivity must be addressed. It is critical to ensure consistent quality and repeatability of composite parts produced through additive manufacturing, especially in industries with stringent regulations and standards. Creating standardized testing methods, quality control protocols, and certification processes for additive composite manufacturing is an ongoing challenge.
To address these challenges and limitations, ongoing research, the development of new materials, process optimization, and advancements in additive manufacturing technologies will be required. If these obstacles are overcome, the additive manufacturing of composite materials has the potential to revolutionize industries such as aerospace, automotive, and healthcare [110].
In this review paper, using recent results, an overview of AM of polymeric composites has been carried out. The use of AM concepts creates a huge impact on the development of composite materials with different shapes and complex structures.
Among all combinations available, the polymer-based materials were found to be excellent, which suits the 3D printing technology. The development of 3D printing technology is rapid. Numerous published publications and mechanical components in the biomedical, aeronautics, electronics, architectural, building fields, and automotive industries confirm this progress.
The commercially available natural fibers like hemp, flax, and wool are used to produce composite materials which act as a better replacement for synthetic materials which are also effective in the AM technique.
Polymeric materials such as PLA, PP, ABS, PEEK, and PC possess very good mechanical properties and are predominantly used to produce high-performance structural parts in aerospace and marine applications.
AM techniques are also preferred for metal-based fabrication, which has higher supportive products for thermal and high-temperature applications. In medical and biotechnology fields, the utilization of the AM technique is found more in which they are used to produce replacements for prosthetics, tissues, teeth, and bone implants.
Additive manufacturing technology creates an impact in the field of sustainable manufacturing with a wide range of applications and products with the introduction of newer materials that offer different properties through manufacturing in the markets.
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Conceptualization, S.R. and G.P.; methodology, A.K. and S.G.; validation, A.K., V.S. and A.V.; formal analysis, V.S.; investigation, S.R. and K.K.; data curation, V.S. and A.V.; writing—original draft preparation, S.R. and G.P.; writing—review and editing, K.K. and S.G.; visualization, A.V.; supervision, U.M.; funding acquisition, K.K. and U.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
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The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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Last Updated on March 23, 2023 by You Ling
In recent years, ultra-fine powders, especially nano-level ultra-fine powders, have received increasing attention due to their peculiar small size effects, surface and interface effects, and quantum size effects. At the same time, through experimental research, people have found that two or two types of The above powder particles can be surface coated or composite treated to obtain high-performance composite materials. In addition to the properties of a single powder, they also have composite synergistic multi-functions, changing the surface properties of a single particle, increasing two kinds of or The contact area of multiple components and so on.
Among them, the metal-ceramic composite powder refers to a composite ceramic powder formed by coating a layer of metal on the surface of ceramic particles. It has the properties of a metal coating layer and a ceramic core, and can achieve uniform mixing between individual particles. The sintered body or composite material made by it has the following characteristics: (1) Improve the interface bonding force between powder ceramic and metal, and improve the uniformity of ceramic and metal distribution in the sintered body; (2) It can realize multi-level and multi-mechanism composite strengthening (Fine grain reinforcement, phase change reinforcement, fiber reinforcement, etc.) to prepare metal composite ceramics with high strength and toughness; (3) Low-density functional powder materials (such as low-density conductive powder, magnetic powder, etc.) can be prepared ).
Commonly used metal-ceramic composite powder is composed of oxides (such as Al2O3, ZrO2, SiO2), carbides (such as WC, TiC, SiC), etc. and metals. Due to its excellent composite characteristics, it can meet the special requirements of many fields In recent years, it has become a hot spot in composite materials research.
Preparation of metal-composite ceramic powder
Metal coating technology is generally used in industry to prepare metal-ceramic composite powders. The preparation methods usually include the following: mechanical mixing, high-energy ball milling, self-propagating high-temperature synthesis, in-situ reaction, sol-gel, electroless plating, etc.
01
The mechanical mixing method is the earliest method used in the preparation of composite powders. This technology is easy to operate and simple in process. There are already complete sets of equipment for industrial production, with large output and low cost. Therefore, the preparation of some composite powders still uses machinery. Mixed method. However, due to the different particle size and surface characteristics of the powder, the doped components are easy to segregate, which easily leads to uneven composition and organization. The obtained powder has a large particle size, and it is difficult to obtain a uniform distribution of the reinforcement particles. It is suitable for the preparation of composite powders with high functional requirements.
The mechanical mixing method is widely used in the domestic preparation of ZnO pressure-sensitive composite porcelain powder.
02
High energy ball milling
High-energy ball milling is a new development in the research of mechanical alloy technology. It uses a mixture of two or more metal or non-metal powders to form an alloy or composite ceramic powder with a fine structure through high-energy ball milling. Compared with the traditional mechanical mixing method, it has the advantages of significantly reducing the activation energy of the reaction, improving the uniformity of particle distribution, and the interface bonding between the reinforcement and the matrix. However, the preparation of composite ceramic powder by high-energy ball milling is a complex material reaction and structure control process with many influencing factors and strict process requirements.
03
Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis
Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis technology (SHS) is to ignite the powder compact in a certain atmosphere to produce a chemical reaction. The heat of the reaction released makes the temperature rise suddenly and triggers a new chemical reaction of adjacent materials. The chemical reaction is in the form of a combustion wave. It spreads through the entire reactant, and the reactant turns into a product when the combustion wave advances. Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis technology has many advantages: simple production process, low investment, full energy utilization, and rapid response (0.1~15cm/s). The synthesis reaction temperature is generally very high, which can volatilize most impurities to obtain high-purity products.
The main disadvantage of the SHS method is that the reaction process and product performance cannot be strictly controlled, and it is difficult to obtain high-density products. In addition, the raw materials used in the SHS law are often flammable, explosive, or toxic substances, requiring special safety measures.
04
Sol-gel method
Sol-Gel technology (Sol-Gel) technology is a new process developed in the 1960s to prepare inorganic materials such as glass and ceramics. In recent years, many people have used this method to prepare nanomaterials. Its basic principle is to use metal alkoxides or inorganic salt water to hydrolyze to form a sol, then make it into a gel, and then dry and burn to make nanoparticles.
This method is more complicated and the raw materials are expensive. Some of the raw materials are organic, which is harmful to health. Secondly, the entire sol-gel process usually takes a long time, and there are a large number of micropores in the gel. A lot of gas and organic matter will escape, and shrinkage will occur, the loss will be large, and the preparation cost will be high.
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Electroless plating
Electroless plating is an advanced method for preparing metal-ceramic composite powders. This method can obtain a uniform metal coating on the surface of various powder materials such as glass, ceramics, plastics or metal surfaces. The reaction mechanism is based on the controlled autocatalytic oxidation-reduction reaction does not need to provide current, and there is no restriction on the shape of the substrate. Therefore, it has attracted extensive attention as a new method for preparing metal composite powders. Studies have found that the metal-ceramic composites prepared by electroless plating have higher toughness, better dispersion, and a more uniform surface coating.
At present, some domestic enterprises can mass-produce metal-composite ceramic powders. The products are mainly metal-ceramic composite powders such as Al2O3, TiC, SnO2, SiO2, CeO2 coated with metal Ni, Co, Cu, Ag, etc. The metal content ranges from 5 to 90%. Product application areas include ceramic cutting tools, electrical contacts, conductive pastes, rubber fillers, and materials for the manufacture of auto parts.
Foreign companies with similar products mainly produce Ag coated SiO2 powder for stealth and electrostatic shielding coatings, Cu and Fe coated SiC, graphite, etc. for particle-reinforced metal matrix composite materials, Au, Ni coated polymer, and ceramic powders The body is used in conductive paste, etc. Most manufacturers use electroless plating technology.
The metal-composite ceramic powder has great potential, and its applications are far beyond the existing products on the market and are widely used in military, aviation, aerospace, chemical, pharmaceutical, and other fields.
(1) Metal toughened ceramic materials
Metal-ceramic composite powder is sintered (including pressureless sintering, hot pressing sintering, hot isostatic pressing sintering, etc.) to prepare high-performance cermets. Compared with single ceramic powder sintering, it has the following characteristics: the sintering temperature is greatly reduced, melting or The metal phase in the semi-molten state is uniformly distributed between the ceramic particles, which inhibits the growth of ceramic grains and prevents the formation of gas-phase or glass phase. The metal phase in the sintered body is continuously distributed, and the ceramic particles are interlaced to improve the bonding state of the ceramic phase, increase the bonding strength of the interface, and can give full play to the plasticity and toughness of the metal, and improve the stress state of the sintered body under load, thereby effectively The strength and fracture toughness of the cermet sintered body are improved.
(2) Ceramic particle reinforced metal matrix composites
Combine high-hardness wear-resistant ceramic particles with metal materials, combine the high hardness and high wear resistance of ceramic particles with the toughness of the metal matrix material, and form a ceramic-metal composite layer with a certain thickness on the working surface of the wear-resistant part. The composite layer bears abrasion, and the metal matrix plays a bearing role. This local compounding method can not only improve the wear resistance of the wear-resistant parts but also ensure their overall toughness.
Common particles used to prepare particle-reinforced metal matrix composites are WC, TiC, Al2O3, ZTA (zirconia toughened alumina) ceramic particles. Among them, ZTA ceramic particles have great advantages in hardness, toughness and cost, and are now widely used in ceramic-metal composite square hammers, plate hammers, throwing hammers, grinding rollers and other products.
(3) Thermal spray powder
Thermal spraying materials are mainly used for corrosion, oxidation and wear protection of high-temperature components. However, a single ceramic coating has more pores, poor fracture toughness, and has a large difference in thermal expansion coefficient from metal matrix materials, so its application is greatly restricted. Therefore, in recent years, the use of metal-ceramic composite powder as a spraying material for thermal spraying technology has received widespread attention.
(4) Special functional materials
The surface modification of SiC and hollow glass microspheres by electroless nickel plating can realize the micro-layer composite of the material, improve the absorbing ability of SiC itself, and make the hollow glass microspheres have good absorbing performance. Precious metals are plated on sub-micron and nano-scale inorganic particles. Due to the nano-sized structure of the noble metal particles adsorbed on the surface of the matrix, the entire composite powder has special optical and electrical properties.
At present, the most widely used is to prepare cermets. For example, in the aerospace field, many parts of the aircraft need to use high-temperature, wear-resistant, and high-strength materials, which have been gradually replaced with cermets and cutting made of cermets. Cutting tools are also extremely popular in the field of processing and manufacturing. For example, compared with ordinary refractory materials, cermets have higher thermal shock properties and can be used for high-temperature equipment components and so on.
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