Microstructure Characteristics of SiC Particle-Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composites Coatings by Cold Spraying

A dense Al/SiCp composite coating with high volume fraction(60%)of nano SiCp reinforcement was fabricated by cold spraying of ball-milled Al-60SiCp composite powder.The morphologies evolution of the Al-60SiCp composite powder during ball milling and the microstructure and microhardness of the cold-sprayed Al-60SiCp composite coating were investigated.The results show that Al particles undergone fracture deformation and nano SiC particles are uniformly distributed in soft Al matrix after ball milling.A dense Al-60SiCp composite coating can be fabricated by cold spraying of ball milled composite powder.Nano SiC particles in the cold-sprayed Al-60SiCp composites coating exhibit a reasonably uniform distribution.The Hv0.5 microhardness of the Al-60SiCp composite coating is reached up to(5.30±0.53)GPa due to the enhancement of SiC particles,compared to(0.34±0.03)GPa for the pure Al bulk.