Porous inorganic material and metal-matrix composite material containing the same and process therefor

摘要

An in situ porous inorganic material with a skeleton structure of aluminum borate whiskers, in which the aluminum borate whiskers are distributed uniformly and randomly, and the individual aluminum borate whisker is bonded to other whisker(s) at one site or more thereof in such a manner that the two or more whiskers share a bond made up of aluminum borate constituting themselves; a process for producing the same comprising firing a compact of mixed powder comprising an aluminum compound, a boron compound, and a nickel compound to in situ synthesize aluminum borate whiskers; and a whisker-reinforced metal-matrix composite material using the porous inorganic material as a reinforcement.