| Abstract Scope |
The thermomechanical properties of metal matrix composites (MMCs) are desirable for high-performance aerospace applications, but fabrication of MMC components with conventional methods is difficult, costly, and typically limited to components with simple geometry. Manufacturing MMCs additively with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) would be an ideal method, but the laser consolidation of these materials has been largely unsuccessful in matching the properties of conventional MMCs. The challenges include spreading the heterogeneous powder, distributing small ceramic particles, and forming a strong bond between the metal and the ceramic. Here, by mechanically alloying aluminum alloys and ceramic microparticles, we manufacture highly-reinforced aluminum composite powders with morphology tuned for AM process conditions. We show that these powders have low contamination and flow and pack similarly to gas atomized aluminum powder. Using LPBF, we achieve dense consolidation of these powders and demonstrate the potential for MMCs to be used in demanding applications. |