MOHSEN AFSARI VELAYATI - Nanomaterials Group, Engineering faculty, Tarbiat Modares University,Tehran, Iran
SEYED HOSSEIN ELAH - Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
HAMDREZA SHAHVERDI - Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran, P.O. Box. ۱۴۱۱۵-۱۴۳
RASOUL SARRAF - MAMOORYMaterials Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran, P.O. Box. ۱۴۱۱۵-۱۴۳

Additions of high modulus nanoparticles to Aluminum alloys offer the potential to develop a lightweight Metal Matrix Nano-Composite (MMNC) for application in numerous fields. It would be advantageous to produce low-cost as-cast bulk lightweight components of MMNCs. During solidification processing, nano-particulates tend to agglomerate as a result of Vander Waals forces and thus proper dispersion of the nanoparticulates in metal matrix is a challenge. This paper presents a new method for an inexpensive production of bulk lightweight MMNCs with reproducible microstructures by use of combination of mechanical alloying and casting, to achieve uniform dispersion of nano-sized SiC particles in molten aluminum A356 and A380 alloys. Dispersion study was carried out with SEM and EDS mapping. It validates a gooddispersion of nano-sized SiC in aluminum matrix. The combination of mechanical alloying and casting fabrication methodology is promising to produce a wide range of other MMNCs.

metal matrix nanocomposites, molten aluminum, mechanical alloying, SiCnanoparticles