Advanced Co-Deposition Modeling and Microstructure Evolution Characterization for Parameter-Dependent Alumina-Reinforced Composites Fabrication Via Cold Spray

Abstract

The structural and functional characteristics of alumina particulate-reinforced metal matrix composites (APMMC) can exhibit significant variations based on the relative proportions of their constituent components. In this work, we report on the comprehensive numerical simulation and experimental validation reveal of as-prepared APMMCs by tuning the process parameters in cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) and provide valuable insights for the tailored composites. The finite element modeling analysis reveals up to 0.5 in the longitudinal compression ratio and 2.7 in lateral mobility of aluminum particles during deposition in a higher fabrication parameter. The alumina splat experiment in CSAM shows that high spraying parameters accelerate ceramic particles to critical velocity, intensifying impacts onto the substrate and enhancing ceramic fragment embedding. Moreover, meticulously crafted numerical simulations of alumina/aluminum co-deposition elucidate the influence of compaction energy in APMMC synthesis and track the comprehensive kinetic energy changes of ceramic particles throughout the layer-by-layer deposition process. Furthermore, the APMMC coating encountered X-ray reconstruction to quantitatively analyze the size characteristics and distribution frequencies of ceramics and fragments in the deposits. In addition, it is discovered that the volume fraction of alumina in the sample obtained by increasing the spraying parameters can reach 34.44%, and the maximum particle size is 55.3μm. In conclusion, the findings from the numerical simulations agree with the results from the well-designed experimentation.

Keywords: Alumina particulate-reinforced metal matrix composites, cold spray additive manufacturing, finite element modeling, co-deposition, X-ray reconstruction