| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2023 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
2023 Technical Division Student Poster Contest
|
| Presentation Title |
SPU-4: Developing a Metallography Procedure to Investigate Compositional Effects on the Microstructure of Lightweight Metal Matrix Composites |
| Author(s) |
Caleb Schenck, Andrew O'Connor, Michele V Manuel |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Caleb Schenck |
| Abstract Scope |
Aerospace structural materials are engineered to be strong and lightweight. They may also provide multi-functionality, such as radiation shielding. Multi-functional magnesium (Mg) and magnesium-lithium (Mg-Li) matrix composites containing boron carbide (B4C) could be used in aircraft flight decks or in space vehicles for crew quarters or electronics boxes. Fabricated via stir casting, these composites were characterized by their grain size. This parameter can be controlled to influence macroscopic properties like yield strength. Due to the alternating hard reinforcement and soft matrix of these composites, the authors developed a unique polishing schedule and etching procedure to reveal their microstructure. After homogenization, optical metallography indicated the introduction of micron-sized B4C particles significantly reduced average grain size. Five percent by volume B4C reinforcement reduced average grain size, proxied by mean lineal intercept, by nearly an order of magnitude. Additionally, the average grain size appeared similar for both Mg and Mg-Li matrix composites. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Undecided |
| Keywords |
Composites, Magnesium, Characterization |