Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wollongong, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 111-114).

D. Tech. Mechanical Engineering. / Discusses the main objective of this study was to extend the hybrid method developed by Paskaramoorthy, et al (1988). This objective was to study the effect of elastic wave on any particulate reinforced metal matrix composite (PRMMC). The specific objectives were: to compare the effect of plane wave and shear vertical wave on a particular particulate reinforced metal matrix composite (PRMMC)-Mg/TiC, using analytical method ; to use the extended hybrid method to determine the effect of particle size and single interface layer on Mg/TiC.

Un composite à matrice métallique et à renfort particulaire de carbure de titane (25vol.%) produit par la société Mecachrome par métallurgie des poudres est l’objet de cette étude. Le process industriel suit trois étapes : broyage à haute énergie des poudres d’acier et de carbure de titane (TiC) ; consolidation de la poudre composite par extrusion ou consolidation isostatique à chaud (HIP) ; traitements thermiques d’austénitisation. Les principales évolutions concernent la taille de particule, la taille de cristallite, le paramètre de maille et la composition chimique du renfort TiC. Dans cette étude, nous nous sommes concentrés uniquement sur l’évolution du renfort (les évolutions de la matrice sont développées dans le travail de M. Mourot). Afin de caractériser les particules de TiC à chaque étape du process, nous avons mis en place une procédure de dissolution chimique sélective de la matrice acier. Le TiC ainsi « extrait » de la matrice a ensuite été caractérisé de façon méthodique par microscopie électronique à balayage (MEB), microscopie électronique en transmission (MET), diffraction des rayons X (DRX) et analyse chimique élémentaire. Ces techniques ont permis de révéler des changements importants indiquant des interactions physico-chimiques durant les étapes d’élaboration du composite. Ces évolutions du renfort et l’étude thermodynamique des systèmes C-Fe-Ti et C-Fe-O-Ti ont permis de proposer les mécanismes réactionnels à prendre en compte lors de l’élaboration du composite acier/TiC / Steel metal matrix composites reinforced with titanium carbide particles (25 vol% ) can be industrially produced by a solid-state process including three main steps: mechanical alloying by high energy milling of steel and titanium carbide powders; consolidation of the powder mixture thus obtained by hot forging, hot extrusion or hot pressing at 1050-1250°C; heat treatment of the resulting composite material. During each of the three steps, the TiC reinforcing particles are submitted to severe mechanical shocks or stresses. Moreover, they can chemically react with impurities of the gas phase during milling or with the steel matrix during consolidation or further heat treatment. As a result, changes are likely to occur in the grain size, crystallite size, morphology and composition of the particles. The aim of this thesis was to point out and characterize these changes. For that purpose, a procedure was developed to selectively dissolve the metal matrix and extract the TiC particles from the starting powder mixture, from the consolidated composite material and from further heat-treated composite samples. The extracted TiC particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), chemical microanalysis (CMA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). This revealed important changes indicative of the physical and chemical interaction phenomena that successively proceed during processing of the steel/TiC composite

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) are attractive reinforcements for lightweight and high strength metal matrix composites due to their excellent mechanical and physical properties. The present work is an attempt towards investigating the effect of CNT and GNP reinforcements on the mechanical properties of nickel matrix composites. The CNT/Ni (dry milled) nanocomposites exhibiting a tensile yield strength of 350 MPa (about two times that of SPS processed monolithic nickel ~ 160 MPa) and an elongation to failure ~ 30%. In contrast, CNT/Ni (molecular level mixed) exhibited substantially higher tensile yield strength (~ 690 MPa) but limited ductility with an elongation to failure ~ 8%. The Ni-1vol%GNP (dry milled) nanocomposite exhibited the best balance of properties in terms of strength and ductility. The enhancement in the tensile strength (i.e. 370 MPa) and substantial ductility (~40%) of Ni-1vol%GNP nanocomposites was achieved due to the combined effects of grain refinement, homogeneous dispersion of GNPs in the nickel matrix, and well-bonded Ni-GNP interface, which effectively transfers stress across metal-GNP interface during tensile deformation. A second emphasis of this work was on the detailed 3D microstructural characterization of a new class of Ni-Ti-C based metal matrix composites, developed using the laser engineered net shaping (LENSTM) process. These composites consist of an in situ formed and homogeneously distributed titanium carbide (TiC) as well as graphite phase reinforcing the nickel matrix. 3D microstructure helps in determining true morphology and spatial distribution of TiC and graphite phase as well as the phase evolution sequence. These Ni-TiC-C composites exhibit excellent tribological properties (low COF), while maintaining a relatively high hardness.

"The next generation of aluminum alloys will have to operate at temperatures approaching 300°C. Traditional aluminum alloys cannot perform at these temperatures, but aluminum alloys reinforced with fine ceramic particles can. The objective of this research is to develop a process to synthesize Al-TiC composites by the Rotating Impeller Gas-Liquid In-situ method. This method relies on injecting methane into molten aluminum that has been pre-alloyed with titanium. The gas is introduced by means of a rotating impeller into the molten alloy, and under the correct conditions of temperature, gas flow, and rotation speed, it reacts preferentially with titanium to form titanium carbide particles. The design of the apparatus, the multi-physics phenomena underlying the mechanism responsible for particle formation and size control, and the operation window for the process are first elucidated. Then a parametric study that leads to the synthesis of aluminum reinforced with TiC microparticles and nanoparticles is described. Finally, potential technical obstacles that may stand in the way of commercializing the process are discussed and ways to overcome them are proposed. "