INVITED: Aluminum Nitride Reinforced Magnesium Alloy Composites

Magnesium alloys were reinforced with AlN nanoparticles using chemical in situ molten metal process for the manufacturing of discontinuously reinforced Mg alloys metal matrix composites. Effect of experimental processing parameters (i.e. time of ammonia gas injection and temperature of the melt) on the formation of AlN nanoparticles in alloy was determined. Increase in either injection time of the ammonia gas increased the nitride content of the alloy. AlN particles with an average size of 400 nm were produced. The measured Vickers hardness of the composites formed increased with increasing AlN content. The industrial applications of this in situ manufacturing of nanoparticle reinforced metal matrix composites by molten metal technology are discussed.