Lightweight, robust, wear resistant components comprising an aluminum matrix composite

Abstract

Rotor, disc, chain ring, and sprocket components are manufactured from a fine particle reinforced metal matrix composite material. The metal matrix composite may be an aluminum or aluminum alloy matrix. The fine reinforcement particles have a particle size from 5 microns to 0.3 microns. These reinforcement particles are dispersed in the matrix.

1 . An article formed from a metal matrix composite, the metal matrix composite comprising:
 an aluminum or aluminum alloy matrix; and   reinforcement particles dispersed in the matrix, the reinforcement particles having an average size in the range of from about 0.3 μm to about 5 μm.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is a brake disc, a rotor, a sprocket or a chain ring. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article has a thickness of about 1 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article has teeth, each tooth having a width of about 1.5 mm to about 5 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement particles comprise at least one ceramic material selected from the group consisting of carbides, oxides, silicides, borides, and nitrides. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement particles comprise at least one ceramic material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, titanium carbide, boron carbide, silicon nitride, titanium nitride, aluminum oxide, and zirconium oxide. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of chromium, copper, lithium, magnesium, manganese, nickel, zinc, iron, vanadium, scandium, silver, and silicon. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises from about 91.2 wt % to about 94.7 wt % aluminum, from about 3.8 wt % to about 4.9 wt % copper, from about 1.2 wt % to about 1.8 wt % magnesium, and from about 0.3 wt % to about 0.9 wt % manganese. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises from about 95.8 wt % to about 98.6 wt % aluminum, from about 0.8 wt % to about 1.2 wt % magnesium, and from about 0.4 wt % to about 0.8 wt % silicon. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the composite comprises from about 15 vol % to about 40 vol % of the reinforcement particles. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 1 , having a 0.2% offset yield strength of about 400 MPa to about 680 MPa; an elastic modulus of about 80 GPa to about 150 GPa; and about 3% to about 8% elongation to failure, measured according to ASTM E8M. 
     
     
         12 . A method for producing an article from a metal matrix composite material, comprising:
 cold compacting the metal matrix composite material to form a preform;   hot compacting the preform to produce a billet; and   processing the billet to form the article;   wherein the metal matrix composite material comprises an aluminum or aluminum alloy matrix material with reinforcement particles dispersed therein, the reinforcement particles having an average size of about 0.3 μm to about 5 μm.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the billet is processed by machining to obtain a desired shape. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of a disc, a rotor, a chain ring or a sprocket. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the article has a thickness of about 1 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the article has teeth, each tooth having a width of about 1.5 mm to about 5 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the reinforcement particles comprise at least one ceramic material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, titanium carbide, boron carbide, silicon nitride, titanium nitride, aluminum oxide, and zirconium oxide. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of chromium, copper, lithium, magnesium, manganese, nickel, zinc, iron, vanadium, scandium, silver, and silicon. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using an article, comprising:
 engaging an outer circumference of the article with a chain;   wherein the article is formed from a metal matrix composite comprising:
 an aluminum or aluminum alloy matrix; and 
 reinforcement particles dispersed in the matrix, the reinforcement particles having an average size in the range of from about 0.3 μm to about 5 μm. 
   
     
     
         20 . A method for making a metal matrix composite material, comprising:
 high energy mixing metal particles with ceramic reinforcement particles;   wherein the metal particles comprise an aluminum or aluminum alloy; and   wherein the ceramic reinforcement particles have an average size of about 0.3 μm to about 5 μm.