Study Of Short-carbon-fiber Reinforced A356 Alloy Matrix Composites

The aluminum matrix reinforced by carbon fiber have attractive properties, such as the high specific strength, high specific modulus, high specific stiffness, high temperature function and dimensional stability, and there was the vast application foreground in aviation, aerospace, national defence and auto industry. In this paper, A356 alloy for extensive use was selected as the matrix material, and the stir casting process was adopted to prepare short carbon fiber reinforced A356 alloy composites with high intensity.Manufacture of aluminum matrix composites reinforced by carbon fiber have been limited by low wettability and interfacial reaction between carbon fiber and molten aluminum. In order to solve the problems, electroless copper plating have been taken to inhibit the harmful interfacial reaction and improve the wettability between carbon and molten aluminum.In this paper nickel activation has been adopted in the process of electroless copper plating on carbon fiber, the influence on nickel activation results by different technological conditions was researched, find the optimal technique process of nickel activation; in the process of electroless copper plating based on nickel activation, the influence on copper coating quality and the liquid stability by different technological was researched, find the optimal technique process of electroless copper plating on carbon fiber.Stirring temperature, stirring time, stirring speed influencing on preparing the high quality composite material were researched, the distribution of carbon fiber and interfacial condition were researched by SEM, find the optimal technique process of composite preparation.In this paper, the samples prepared under optimal conditions have been tested for tensile properties and flexural properties, in the condition of carbon fiber length 2-4mm and carbon fiber quality content 12%, the composite material tensile strength:365MPa,flexural strength: 547MPa; comparing to A356 alloy with heat treatment, the tensile properties and flexural properties of composite material greatly improved.(1) The process of electroless copper plating on carbon fiber with nickel activation effective and feasible, the costs was reduced and the operation was simplified by the new process.(2) Chemical plating copper layer with good binding and smooth surface has been achieved by the process of electroless copper plating with nickel activation, no leakage plating phenomenon in the bundles of carbon fiber, electroless copper plating inhibited the harmful interfacial reaction and improved the wettability between carbon and molten aluminum.(3) The technology of stir casting process was simple and the costs was low, advanced composite materials with high intensity can be prepared in the condition of the optimal process.