Processing,microstructure, and physical properties of interpenetrating Al2O3/Ni composites

Abstract

Alumina/nickel composites have been fabricated by hot pressing powder blends of various volume fractions of nickel and alumina. The electrical resistivities and Young's moduli of these composites have been measured and their dependence on the volume fraction of reinforcement has been investigated. Microstructural parameters such as contiguity were measured to quantify the distribution of the phases in these composites, and existing property models based on these data were used to predict the properties of the composites. The percolation threshold of nickel was found to occur at between 7.5 and 15 vol.-%Ni. The Young's modulus decreases as the volume fraction of nickel increases and is dependent on the contiguity of alumina. Composites containing 25, 35, 50, and 65 vol.-%Ni display microstructures with interpenetrating networks of alumina and nickel. The property models were found to fit both the resistivity and modulus data well, although the percolation threshold was predicted at a lower volume fraction than measured experimentally.