Method and apparatus for forming an aluminum alloy composite material

A method of producing an aluminum alloy composite material, comprising the steps of:

• disposing in a mold an infiltration enhancer containing Mg, a preform and an aluminum matrix alloy ingot;
• placing the mold containing the infiltration enhancer, the preform and the aluminum matrix alloy ingot into an atmospheric furnace;
• providing an argon atmosphere inside of the furnace;
• raising the internal temperature of the furnace to a first temperature and maintaining the first temperature for a given period of time so that the infiltration enhancer sublimates to permit the Mg component thereof to infiltrate into the preform;
• changing the atmosphere inside of the furnace from the argon atmosphere into a nitrogen atmosphere;
• raising the internal temperature of the furnace to a second temperature higher than the first temperature and maintaining the second temperature for a given period of time so that the aluminum matrix alloy ingot melts to permit the aluminum matrix alloy to spontaneously infiltrate into the preform;
• and
• cooling the interior of the furnace.

A method of producing an aluminum alloy composite material, comprising the steps of:

• disposing in a mold an infiltration enhancer containing Mg, a preform and an aluminum matrix alloy ingot;
• heating in the interior of a furnace the mold containing the infiltration enhancer, the preform and the aluminum matrix alloy ingot in an argon atmosphere to a first temperature and maintaining the first temperature for a given period of time so that the infiltration enhancer sublimates to permit the Mg component thereof to infiltrate into the preform;
• thereafter heating the mold in a nitrogen atmosphere to a second temperature higher than the first temperature and maintaining the second temperature for a given period of time so that the aluminum matrix alloy ingot melts to permit the aluminum matrix alloy to spontaneously infiltrate into the preform;
• and
• cooling the interior of the furnace.

A method for producing an aluminum alloy composite material, comprising the steps of:

• sequentially disposing in a mold a first aluminum matrix alloy ingot, an infiltration enhancer containing Mg, a preform and a second aluminum matrix alloy ingot;
• placing the mold containing the first aluminum matrix alloy ingot, the infiltration enhancer, the preform and the second aluminum matrix alloy ingot in a furnace;
• providing an argon atmosphere inside of the furnace;
• sublimating the infiltration enhancer while in the furnace provided with the argon atmosphere to permit the Mg component thereof to infiltrate into the preform;
• melting the first and second aluminum matrix alloy ingots while in the furnace to permit spontaneous infiltration of molten aluminum matrix alloy into the perform;
• and
• cooling the interior of the furnace.