Planar semifinished product of aluminum alloy matrix composite having boron carbide-particles, useful for manufacturing a plate, comprises boron carbide particles-containing layers, and a matrix-forming aluminum alloy comprising silicon

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This invention relates to a planar semifinished product made from an aluminum alloy matrix composite containing boron carbide particles. The product features layers with varying concentrations of boron carbide particles and is manufactured using a process that employs heating, high gas pressure, and vibrations to effectively distribute and concentrate boron carbide particles within the aluminum alloy. The result is a thin, plate-like material with a surface layer enriched in boron carbide, which offers enhanced properties.

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• Manufacturing lightweight, wear-resistant plates for armor or protective equipment
• Components in automotive and aerospace industries requiring high strength-to-weight ratio and wear resistance
• Production of surfaces or parts subject to abrasion in mechanical engineering
• Heat-resistant and durable materials for electronic casings or heat sinks
• Construction of advanced sporting equipment where both light weight and mechanical strength are required

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Improved wear and abrasion resistance due to surface enrichment of boron carbide
• Lightweight nature of aluminum alloy is maintained while enhancing surface properties
• Enhanced mechanical strength and durability of manufactured plates
• Tailorable manufacturing process allows control over the concentration and distribution of boron carbide
• Potential for cost-effective production due to efficient use of materials and scalable process

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Patent Abstract

Planar semifinished product (1) made of an aluminum alloy matrix composite having boron carbide-particles, comprises a first layer having a proportion of boron carbide particles on a first surface (2), which optionally increases the proportion of boron carbide-particles of a second layer, which is present on a second surface (3) facing away from the first surface, where a matrix-forming aluminum alloy of the aluminum alloy matrix composite comprises a total content of 10-40 wt.% silicon. Independent claims are also included for: (1) manufacturing the planar semifinished product, comprising (a) preparing the aluminum alloy matrix composite with the boron carbide-particles in the matrix-forming aluminum alloy, (b) heating the aluminum alloy matrix composite at a liquidus temperature of the matrix-forming aluminum alloy and melting the aluminum alloy under a protective gas atmosphere in a horizontally aligned melting mold (5), which corresponds to a contour provided for the area of the semifinished product in a pressure chamber (7), (c) establishing a gas pressure of 1100-1300 bar, preferably 1200 bar in the pressure chamber and subjecting the aluminum alloy matrix composite to the gas pressure, which is heated above the liquidus temperature, (d) generating vibrations through a vibrating source and initiating the vibrations in the melting mold, allowing the vibration on the melt of the matrix-forming aluminum alloy over a period of time, by reducing the viscosity of the melt and assembling the boron carbide-particles in the opposite direction to gravity, (e) enriching the boron carbide-particles in the first layer on the first surface of the melt present in the melting mold and enriching the second layer of boron carbide-particles located below the first layer, (f) cooling the melt in the melting mold in the pressure chamber to a solidus temperature and solidifying the planar semifinished product with the layer enriched with boron carbide-particles, and (g) demolding the planar semifinished product and quenching; and (2) manufacturing a plate from the planar semifinished product, comprising (i) carrying out a machined-editing of the semifinished product, removing the layer depleted of boron carbide-particles and obtaining the layer as the plate, which is enriched with boron carbide-particles, and (ii) optionally massively reshaping the plate by repeatedly rolling at 525-550[deg] C to achieve a plate thickness of 0.5-2.5 mm.