Core-Shell Particle Reinforcements-A New Trend in the Design and Development of Metal Matrix Composites

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are a constantly developing class of materials. Simultaneously achieving a high strength and a high ductility is a challenging task in the design of MMCs. This article aims to highlight a recent trend: the development of MMCs reinforced with particles of core-shell structure. The core-shell particles can be synthesized in situ upon a partial transformation of metal (alloy) particles introduced into a metal matrix. MMCs containing core-shell particles with cores of different compositions (metallic, intermetallic, glassy alloy, high-entropy alloy, metal-ceramic) are currently studied. For metal core-intermetallic shell particle-reinforced composites, the property gain by the core-shell approach is strengthening achieved without a loss in ductility. The propagation of cracks formed in the brittle intermetallic shell is hindered by both the metal matrix and the metal core, which constitutes a key advantage of the metal core-intermetallic shell particles over monolithic particles of intermetallic compounds for reinforcing purposes. The challenges of making a direct comparison between the core-shell particle-reinforced MMCs and MMCs of other microstructures and future research directions are discussed.