Development of the Aluminum Powder Composite Based on the Al–Si–Ni System and Technology of Billet Fabrication of This Composite

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Results of an investigation into the development of the composition and fabrication technology of compact billets of the aluminum powder composite material based on the Al–Si–Ni system for space-rocket hardware are presented. The composite production was performed as follows: initially the powder of the matrix alloy is prepared by gas sputtering, and then a mixture of the matrix alloy powder and alloying dispersed additives is subjected to mechanical alloying in high-energy apparatuses. The method of degassing the mechanically alloyed composition in a thin layer (in order to exclude material ejection from a container when degassing a larger volume of powder) and process regimes of composition compaction are developed using the unique equipment available at OAO Kompozit (Korolev, Moscow oblast)—a vacuum press. Using this technology, cylindrical briquettes up to 100 mm in diameter and up to 120 mm in height are fabricated. Newly developed and patented Kompal-301 composite material has substantial advantages over SAS-1-50 power alloy applied for similar purposes. Its thermal linear expansion coefficient is lower by a factor of 1.5, while the precision limit of elasticity is higher by a factor of 2–3 upon similar strength characteristics. The final structure of a compact briquette is a matrix in which dispersed particles of excess silicon are distributed rather uniformly against the background of the aluminum solid solution. Coarser isolated silicon particles are met in separate regions of the structure. Unfortunately, they are the cause of low plasticity of briquettes, which prevents the formation of semifinished products by plastic deformation; however, such low plasticity does not immediately negatively affect the fabrication of the briquettes themselves.