PREPARATION OF A METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE BODY BY A SPONTANEOUS INFILTRATION PROCESS

摘要

Improvements in process metal matrix composite materials by infiltration are disclosed. Specifically, the effective contact area between a permeable mass or preform and a molten matrix metal (which is to infiltrate the permeable mass or preform) can be enlarged by coating one or more exterior surfaces of the permeable mass or preform to a desired extent with an infiltration enhancer or infiltration enhancer precursor. This technique is particularly useful for the infiltration of complex or irregularly shaped preforms. Further, it is frequently advantageous that the permeable mass or preform is not to be in direct contact with the body of molten matrix metal. The above concept can be extended to achieve this objective. Specifically, as long as there exists a pathway (33) comprising infiltration enhancer or infiltration enhancer precursor between the molten matrix metal (13) and the permeable mass or preform (11) to be infiltrated, infiltration of the permeable mass or preform can be achieved. More particularly, the molten matrix metal first infiltrates the pathway, following the pathway toward and into the permeable mass or preform.