Publication

Abstract : Sheet metals are extensively used in aerospace and automotive applications. The most desired properties of sheet metals are their excellent strength and formability. However, it is less common to have them simultaneously in sheet metals fabricated by conventional methods. Composite materials provide an excellent opportunity for fabricating components with tailored properties, with simple and predictable fabrication steps. The paper presents a detailed fabrication process of continuous fiber-reinforced sheet metals (aluminum matrix reinforced with stainless-steel fiber mesh) using the centrifugal casting technique. The stainless-steel fiber mesh is coated with copper through the electrodeposition method to achieve good wettability of aluminum with stainless steel. Characterization of the developed composite is performed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The analyses show defect-free microstructure with homogenous bonding between the aluminum matrix and stainless-steel fiber. Detrimental intermetallic compounds are not observed in the interface region. The tensile test reveals that the composite exhibits twice the strength of cast aluminum.