Effects of B_4C Addition on the Laser Beam Welding Characteristics of Al/SiC MMCs Produced By P/M

Fusion weldability characteristics of metal matrix composites (mmc) produced by powder metallurgy (p/m) are usually insufficient due to unwanted micro-structural changes that occur during welding. this study aims to investigate the effects of b_4c addition as reinforcement on the weld quality of al/sic mmcs. after the production of al/sic mmcs by p/m with or without the addition of b_4c, laser beam welding (lbw) characteristics of the materials were investigated by focusing on the integrity of the welds. optical microscopy (om), scanning electron microscopy (sem), and energy dispersive x-ray analysis (edx) were utilized for the characterization of the welds. results show that al/sic mmcs produced by p/m can not be easily welded by lbw, but weldability characteristics of the material can be improved by the addition of b_4c.