Transmission electron microscopy studies of squeeze cast Al-AlN composites

Aluminium-matrix composites containing approximately 45 vol.% AlN particles were fabricated by melt infiltration of aluminium into an AlN preform under a pressure up to 130 MPa. Three types of aluminium alloy (2024, 6060 and 5754) were used. The as-prepared composites were studied by light microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. As a result of the melt infiltration process, the composites are very dense and the microstructure shows a homogeneous distribution of the reinforcement. The interfaces are clean with very little porosity. Composites with 2024 and 6060 matrices were carefully studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution electron microscopy (HREM) after heat treatments. Dislocation density in the matrix of the reinforced material increases due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficients of aluminium alloys and AlN. This can induce an accelerated ageing response of the coherent and semicoherent precipitations of age-hardened matrices. This behaviour has been studied in the 2024 and 6060 composites by using microhardness measurements and TEM. Reactions between the AlN reinforcement and aluminium matrices (6060 and 5754) were observed and analysed by TEM. Matrices containing some of magnesium display a MgAl2O4 spinel formation at the AlN/matrix interface. The spinel formation is probably due to the reaction between magnesium of the matrix and the thin Al2O3 layer on the AlN surfaces. This reaction can affect the mechanical behaviour of the composite infiltrated with the 5754 matrix. This has been confirmed by overageing some samples at high temperatures (300 degrees C and 550 degrees C) for 10 days in order to emphasize the interfacial reactions.