PREFORM FOR COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

摘要

A preform for a composite material which has high strength and excellent air permeability and hence is applicable to a high-speed die casting method and which is capable of forming a metal composite material having excellent mechanical properties by a high-speed die casting method. Also provided is a process for producing such a preform. Ceramic fibers (2) or/and ceramic particles (3, 5) are mixed with a silica sol (7) and calcium carbonate (4) and sintered at a predetermined temperature to form a calcium/silicon sinter (11) obtained from the silica sol (7) and calcium carbonate (4). The calcium/silicon sinter (11) coats the ceramic fibers (2) or/and ceramic particles (3, 5) so that a preform (1) having the fibers (2) or/and the particles (3, 5) bound to each other by the calcium/silicon sinter (11) sinter is obtained. The preform (1) for a composite material has high strength and excellent air permeability and is applicable to the high-speed die casting method capable of attaining high productivity.