Method of making components with metal matrix composites and components made therefrom

Abstract

Components made of a metal matrix composite and methods for the manufacture thereof. The metal matrix composite contains TiB.sub.2 particles, Al.sub.3Ti particles, and particles of an intermetallic compound of aluminum and at least one rare earth element dispersed in an aluminum matrix. Methods include casting a first melt to produce an ingot, remelting the ingot to form a second melt, forming a powder from the second melt using an atomization process, and fabricating a component utilizing the powder in an additive manufacturing process. The ingot and the powder include an aluminum matrix that contains dispersions of TiB.sub.2 particles and Al.sub.3Ti particles.

Claims

1. A component made of a metal matrix composite comprising an aluminum matrix that contains TiB.sub.2 particles, Al.sub.3Ti particles, and particles of an intermetallic compound of aluminum and scandium, the Al.sub.3Ti particles and the particles of the intermetallic compound being dispersed throughout aluminum grains of the aluminum matrix, a majority of the TiB.sub.2 particles being located adjacent or within grain boundaries of the aluminum matrix.

2. The component of claim 1, wherein the intermetallic compound is Al.sub.3Sc.

3. The component of claim 1, wherein the intermetallic compound comprises Al.sub.3Zr.

4. The component of claim 1, wherein the TiB.sub.2 particles situated along and/or within the grain boundaries of the aluminum grains provide grain boundary strengthening.

5. The component of claim 1, wherein a majority of the particles of the intermetallic compound are inside the aluminum grains of the aluminum matrix.

6. The component of claim 1, wherein the average size of the TiB.sub.2 particles is about 100 nanometers to 10 micrometers.

7. The component of claim 1, wherein the average size of the particles of the intermetallic compound is about 2 nanometers to 100 nanometers.

8. The component of claim 1, wherein the component is an engine component.

9. The component of claim 1, wherein the component is an automotive engine component.

10. The component of claim 1, wherein the metal matrix composite is an Al—Ti—B—Sc metal matrix composite.

11. The component of claim 1, wherein the metal matrix composite consists of the aluminum matrix, the TiB.sub.2 particles, the Al.sub.3Ti particles, and the particles of the intermetallic compound.

12. The component of claim 1, wherein the average size of the TiB.sub.2 particles is about 2 micrometers to about 5 micrometers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A is a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of a cast Al—TiB.sub.2—Al.sub.3Ti composite.

(2) FIG. 1B is a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image showing TiB.sub.2 particles in a cast Al—TiB.sub.2—Al.sub.3Ti composite.

(3) FIG. 2 is an image representing an aluminum alloy with a typical microstructure with precipitation hardening achieved by addition of scandium.

(4) FIG. 3 schematically represents the microstructure of a nonlimiting Al—Ti—B—Sc metal matric composite (MMC). The relative sizes of the particles are not to scale.

(5) FIG. 4 schematically represents a method of producing Al—Ti—B MMCs in accordance with certain nonlimiting aspects of the invention.

(6) FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically represent methods of producing Al—Ti—B—Sc MMCs in accordance with certain nonlimiting aspects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) A nonlimiting method suitable for producing Al—Ti—B metal matrix composite (MMC) components that contain reinforcing particles is represented in FIG. 4. In a first step 110, Al—Ti—B alloy ingots are produced. The specific composition achieved may vary depending on the desired application of components to be formed therefrom. Preferably, the ingots include an aluminum matrix comprising ceramic TiB.sub.2 particles and optionally intermetallic Al.sub.3Ti particles as a reinforcing phase in the matrix. Formation of the Al.sub.3Ti particles may be controlled based on the cooling rate of the alloy from liquid to solid during casting of the ingots, with an increase in cooling rate generally yielding a decrease in particle size. As a nonlimiting example for producing Al—Ti—B MMC ingots, one or more salt mixtures, for example, K.sub.2TiF.sub.6—KBF.sub.4, may be mixed and reacted with molten aluminum and then cast by conventional methods as ingots. Preferably, the casting process completely or almost completely removes the spent salt mixtures (i.e., reaction products).

(8) In a subsequent step 112, powder is produced from the cast ingots. The powder may be produced by various powder production methods including but not limited to atomization, ball milling, etc. For example, the cast ingots may be remelted in a crucible and then the resulting melt may be atomized to produce a powder. Preferably both the melting of the ingots and the atomization of the resulting melt are performed in a vacuum. Little to no residue salt mixtures are preferably present in the melt produced from the ingots since such salts would likely evaporate during the remelting/atomization steps and interfere with the desired vacuum atmosphere. The powder preferably comprises an aluminum matrix that contains dispersions of ceramic TiB.sub.2 particles, intermetallic Al.sub.3Ti particles, and particles of an intermetallic compound of aluminum and the at least one alloying element, which is used in later method steps for solution and/or precipitation hardening. Any alloying elements in addition to Al, Ti, and B that are included in the composition may be added to the melt during casting of the ingots in step 110 or may be added when the ingots are remelted in step 112 (for example, if a powder production method is used that requires remelting). In a preferred embodiment, the composition includes one or more rare earth elements, preferably scandium, for solution and precipitation hardening. If one or more alloying elements for solution and/or precipitation hardening are added to the melt prior to forming the ingots, the ingots preferably include an intermetallic compound of aluminum and the alloying element(s). Due to their different solubilities in molten aluminum, the intermetallic Al.sub.3Ti particles formed during the casting of the ingots dissolve during subsequent remelting processes, whereas the TiB.sub.2 particles survive any subsequent remelting processes, that is, are not remelted with the aluminum matrix and dissolved.

(9) In step 114, a component is fabricated utilizing these powders and employing an additive manufacturing technique. For example, the powder can be deposited and heated by a laser beam or other source of heating to form a component layer-upon-layer. Suitable additive manufacturing methods include but are not limited to powder bed fusion, material jetting, etc. As previously noted the TiB.sub.2 particles formed during the casting of the ingots survive during the additive manufacturing process, that is, are not remelted with the aluminum matrix and dissolved. In order to avoid clogging of a spray nozzle during an additive manufacturing process, the process is preferably performed at parameters (time, temperature, etc.) such that the relatively large Al.sub.3Ti particles dissolve, and the TiB.sub.2 particles preferably have an average size of about ten micrometers or less, and more preferably about five micrometers or less.

(10) In step 116, the fabricated component may then heat treated to cause precipitation hardening, that is, strengthening as a result of the formation of precipitates. In a preferred embodiment, the composition includes one or more rare earth elements, preferably scandium, for solution and precipitation hardening. Another suitable alloying element for solution and precipitation hardening is zirconium, which can partly or completely replace scandium to lower material costs. The contents of the alloying elements, (for example, Ti, B, Sc, Zr) can vary depending on the desired material properties of the component.

(11) In preferred embodiments, after heat treating the component includes a microstructure similar to the type schematically represented in FIG. 3, where relatively large TiB.sub.2 particles (e.g., greater than two micrometers in average diameter) are situated along or within aluminum grain boundaries to provide grain boundary strengthening, and other precipitated particles are dispersed in the aluminum grains. In the Al—Ti—B—Sc alloy embodiment represented in FIG. 3, the microstructure includes an aluminum matrix with a majority of ceramic TiB.sub.2 particles adjacent or within the grain boundaries and intermetallic Al.sub.3Ti and Al.sub.3Sc particles (e.g., less than 100 nm in diameter) dispersed throughout the grains. The specific locations of the reinforcing particles may be dependent on the cooling rate. For example, slower cooling results in an increased likelihood of TiB.sub.2 particles segregating toward the grain boundaries. Therefore, it should be understood that some TiB.sub.2 particles may be located within the grains, and if desired the TiB.sub.2 particles could be dispersed throughout the grains.

(12) In preferred embodiments, the component is an Al—Ti—B—Sc MMC having TiB.sub.2 particles with an average size (i.e., diameter or largest dimension) of about 100 nanometers to about ten micrometers, more preferably about two micrometers to five micrometers, and most preferably about two micrometers, and Al.sub.3Sc particles with an average size of about two nanometers to 100 nanometers, and more preferably about two nanometers to twenty-five nanometers.

(13) Investigations leading to the present invention indicated that components produced by additive manufacturing Al—Ti—B MMCs as described herein exhibit increased strength relative to cast aluminum alloy and MMCs components having similar compositions. Specifically, these additive manufacturing techniques increase high temperature performance of Al—Ti—B MMCs, including Al—TiB.sub.2, Al—Al.sub.3Ti, and Al—TiB.sub.2—Al.sub.3Ti systems, through grain refinement, precipitation hardening, and secondary phase strengthening. Notably, the methods described herein have successfully produced Al—Ti—B—Sc MMCs having Al.sub.3Ti and TiB.sub.2 that are finer than those produced through conventional casting and heat treatment. These finer particles are capable of yielding superior strength and mechanical properties, with the result that the methods disclosed herein and the structural components produced therefrom are superior to conventional casting and heat treatment methods and components they produce. The finer particle sizes are produced at least in part due to the relatively rapid cooling rate of the additive manufacturing process, which may also increase the amount of nucleation sites of the precipitates within the aluminum grains yielding grain refinement.

(14) In general, advantages of the components produced as described herein include a homogeneous dispersion of reinforcing particles in an aluminum alloy matrix; strengthening through dispersion of ceramic reinforcing TiB.sub.2 particles at the grain boundaries; simultaneously solution and precipitation hardening with intermetallic reinforcing particles of Al.sub.3Ti and/or Al.sub.3Sc located inside aluminum grains; and production of complex shaped Al—Ti—B MMCs with high strength for high temperature applications (e.g., greater than 350° C.). Therefore, components produced using the methods described herein are well suited for structural components for various high-temperature applications including, but not limed to, engines and components thereof for use in applications including, but not limited to, internal combustion engines for use in automotive applications.

(15) FIGS. 5 and 6 represent nonlimiting methods for producing Al—Ti—B—Sc MMCs in accordance with the above description. FIG. 5 includes steps 210 through 220 wherein scandium is added to the first melt in step 210, and FIG. 6 includes steps 310 through 320 wherein scandium is not added to the first melt in step 310 and instead added to the second melt in step 315. Although the examples provided herein focus on Al—Ti—B MMCs comprising scandium and precipitating Al.sub.3Sc, it is within the scope of the invention that Al—Ti—B MMCs may be produced with other alloying elements, particularly rare earth elements are discussed above, with or in lieu of scandium. As a nonlimiting example, a component may be produced to have an Al—Ti—B MMC comprising zirconium and Al.sub.3Zr precipitates. It is also foreseeable and within the scope of the invention that Al—Ti—B MMCs may be produced with the methods disclosed herein without additional reinforcing particles, that is, alloying elements such as Sc and Zr are not added to precipitate intermetallic compounds.

(16) While the invention has been described in terms of specific or particular embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the components may have various different appearances and constructions, process parameters such as temperatures and durations could be modified, and appropriate materials could be substituted for those noted. In addition, the invention encompasses additional embodiments in which one or more features or aspects of different disclosed embodiments may be combined. Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to any embodiment described herein. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed above are for the purpose of describing the disclosed embodiments, and do not necessarily serve as limitations to the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.