ABSTRACT
Metal matrix composites (MMCs) have become significant engineering materials. The development of aluminium alloy–based MMCs has become essential for many applications, including aerospace, defence, transportation, power generation, and chemical industries. Liquid and powder metallurgy–based routes are commonly used to manufacture MMCs owing to their simplicity and lower cost. The problems associated with these conventional routes include that particles do not adequately wet the molten metal, particles settle or float because of density variation, undesirable intermetallic particles form, and others. However, a novel solid-state method, referred to as friction stir processing (FSP), has been developed to overcome most of these limitations. This chapter presents and discusses Al-based MMCs fabricated with various metallic reinforcements by FSP. Tensile, wear, and metallurgical properties of these FSP Al-based MMCs are presented and discussed in detail with the aims of broadening their potential application and shedding light on the perceived challenges associated with their fabrication.
