Particle sedimentation during processing of liquid metal-matrix composites

A novel electrical resistance probe technique to measure thein situ volume fraction of ceramic particles in molten metals was applied to the measurement of sedimentation rates of 90-µm-diameter silicon carbide particles in molten aluminum. The results indicate that the rate strongly depends on volume fraction; the time to clarify a 0.15-m depth increased from approximately 60 to 500 seconds as the particle volume fraction increased from 0.05 to …