| Abstract Scope |
It remains an open question how to fabricate high-performance aluminum-matrix composites (AMCs). In this study, we report a novel casting AMC with a “rebar steel-reinforced concrete structure” (RC-AMC). The RC-AMC obtains a high yield strength of 657 MPa (ca. 638% of the matrix strength) and maintains a low density of 3.3 g/cm3 (ca. 122% of the matrix density). At an elevated temperature of 500℃, the yield strength of the RC-AMC reaches 335 MPa (about 67 times higher than that of the Al-Si matrix), and is among the highest values reported in the literature for all Al alloys or AMCs. The additive manufacturing and microcasting methods employed in this study may be easily adapted to current industrial processes and, hence, provides the potential for large-scale industrial fabrication of RC-AMCs. |