摘要 |
A spring useful as various machine parts or elements for various machines and apparatuses, which is made of a fiber-reinforced metallic composite material comprising a matrix metal (e.g. a metal having a melting point of not higher than 1,700 DEG C.) and a reinforcement of an inorganic fiber having high modulus of elasticity and high strength selected from a ceramic fiber and a metallic fiber, particularly an alumina or alumina-silica fiber containing alumina of 100 to 72% by weight, preferably 98 to 75% by weight, and silica of 0 to 28% by weight, preferably 2 to 25% by weight, and having substantially no alpha -alumina reflection by X-ray diffraction. The spring of the present invention is light in weight and has far greater heat resistance and mechanical properties in comparison with the conventional metallic or non-metallic springs, and hence is particularly valuable from the standpoint of saving energy and saving resources. |