Metal matrix composites
AssigneeAlvant Limited
InventorGemma Louise CHRISTIAN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming a metal matrix composite component comprises: providing a body defining a mould cavity; covering a first surface of the mould cavity with a first reinforcement material; restraining the first reinforcement material relative to the body to restrict movement of the first reinforcement material in the mould cavity; adding a second reinforcement material to the mould cavity, the second reinforcement material being in contact with the first reinforcement material; adding molten metal to the mould cavity such that the first reinforcement material and the second reinforcement material become embedded in a continuous metal matrix when the molten metal solidifies.
Claims25
A method of forming a metal matrix composite component, comprising:
- providing a body defining a mould cavity;
- covering a first surface of the mould cavity with a first reinforcement material;
- restraining the first reinforcement material relative to the body to restrict movement of the first reinforcement material in the mould cavity;
- adding a second reinforcement material to the mould cavity, the second reinforcement material being in contact with the first reinforcement material;
- adding molten metal to the mould cavity such that the first reinforcement material and the second reinforcement material become embedded in a continuous metal matrix when the molten metal solidifies.
A metal matrix composite component comprising a body with an external surface, the body having a surface region adjacent the external surface and a core region spaced from the external surface by the surface region, with a metal matrix extending continuously through the surface region and the core region, wherein the surface region comprises a reinforcement material embedded in the metal matrix, and the core region has a density which is less than that of the surface region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.