Metal matrix composites: structure and technologies

The research of ever new materials for high performance applications about aerospace, aeronautical and automotive fields has found in material matrix composites the materials having very high potential, for their capacity of combining resistance, lightness and versatility. The most important aspects for these materials usually regard production technology and machining. Therefore the present book, after dealing a general picture, provides for this two themes. First the study about a titanium matrix composite, the Ti6Al4V/SiCf, promising for aeronautical applications as turbine components and structural high stressed parts, is considered: by micro-chemical and mechanical advanced investigations, the high properties of the composite are described. The second part extends the research about the aluminium matrix composites and their workability by tool machines, investigating the better conditions to reduce the cutting forces by variation of the cutting parameters, workpiece temperature included. The dealt topics should be useful to discover completely the metal matrix composite importance, but also to verify the benefits about the advanced investigation methodologies used in the work.