User:MTRNBBCCeramics/Supremex

SupremEX™ new article content ... SupremEX™ is the name of a metal matrix composite manufactured by a powder metallurgy route to achieve, through solid state processing, a homogeneous dispersion of Boron Carbide (B4C) reinforcement phase in an aluminum alloy (1050) metal matrix. The gas-atomized aluminum alloy powder is blended with the ultra fine B4C reinforcement in a proprietary high energy mixing process known as mechanical alloying (MA) which imparts a significant amount of cold work to the material through cold welding and cold fracturing processes. The resultant powder is degassed and then consolidated by Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) into a 100% theoretical density billet in which the average aluminum grain size (0.92 +/- 0.01 µm) and a B4C particle size of (3 +/- 2 µm) although nearly 6% of the particulates have sizes less than one micrometer due to the MA process.

MMC formulations that use 2000 and 6000 series aluminum are heat-treatable using conventional water, and polymer quench methods.

Material formulations include:

EX-B135H  Boron carbide at 35% volume fraction in a 1050 aluminum matrix.

EX-S225F  Silicon carbide at 25% volume fraction in a 2124 aluminum matrix.

EX-S640F  Silicon carbide at 60% volume fraction in a 6061 aluminum matrix.