Microstructure characteristics of SiC particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composites by plasma spraying

Aluminum with 55 and 75 vol.% SiC powders were ball milled as plasma spray feedstock. The feedstock was deposited onto a graphite substrate to form a freestanding composite by air plasma spraying. The microstructure characteristics of the sprayed composite were investigated by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The SiC volume fraction and porosity in the sprayed composites depend on plasma spray conditions. The silicon phase was formed in the sprayed composites in some plasma spray conditions, and its amount was related to the input of electrical power into the plasma spray. The mechanism of silicon formation was studied. In the sprayed composites, no reaction products could be observed in the Al/SiC interface. Impurity materials from ball media, stainless steel, and ZrO₂ reacted with aluminum and silicon to form complex compounds during plasma spray deposition.