**3. Conclusion**

With all the valuable research work conducted thus far in the field, there can be no denying that aluminum plays a pivotal role in the development of composite materials reinforced with SiC. And perhaps, amongst all the Al/reinforcement systems, the Al-SiC one has become a benchmark. It turns out that alloy composition influences the processing route to be employed as well as the mechanical, heat-treatment and corrosion behavior of the composites. The use of aluminum in liquid state has serious implications because attack of SiC and the subsequent phenomena do compromise the integrity of the composite. In this regard, since the aluminum-matrix/reinforcement interface plays a critical role in transferring the load from the matrix to the reinforcing phase, the soundness of the interface is always a crucial aspect to take care of. What's more, wettability studies aimed at optimizing processing conditions are always wise. From heat treatment investigations, there is a consensus in that SiC in aluminum leads to an accelerated age hardening, compared to the unreinforced alloy. Being pitting one of the major concerns in the corrosion behavior of Al/SiC composites, the confluence of results suggest that in the composites, pitting is greater in number, smaller in size and shallower in penetration depth, relative to the

Aluminum Alloys for Al/SiC Composites 313

Dutta, I., Bourell, D. L. (1989)."A theoretical and experimental study of aluminum alloy

Escalera-Lozano, R., Pech-Canul, M. I., Pech-Canul, M. A., Montoya-Dávila, M., Uribe-Salas, A.

infiltration". The Open Corrosion Journal, Vol. 3, pp. 73-79, ISSN 1876-5033 Greasley, A., Hermann, R., Tomlinson, M. (1995). "Fatigue and projectile penetration

Guo, J., Yuan, X. (2009)."The aging behavior of SiC/Gr/6013Al composite in T4 and T6 treatments". *Mater. Sci. and Eng*. A, Vol. 499, pp. 212-214, ISSN 0921-5093. Hihara, L. H., Latanison, R. M. (1992). "Galvanic corrosion of aluminum matrix composites",

Iseki, T., Kameda, T., Maruyama, T.(1984). "Interfacial reaction between SiC and aluminum during joining", *J. Mater Sci*., Vol. 19, No. 5, pp. 1692-1698, ISSN 0022-2461 King, J. E. and Bhattacharjee, D. (1995). "Interfacial effects on fatigue and fracture in

Kiourtsidis, G. E., Skolianos, S. M., Pavlidou, E. G. (1999). "A study on pitting behavior of

Kosolapova, T. Y. (1971). *Carbides, Properties, Production and Applications*, Plenum Press, ISBN

Kumai, S., King, J. E., Knott, J. F. (1991). "Fatigue in SiC-particulate-reinforced aluminum alloy composites". *Mater. Sci. and Eng. A*, Vol. 146, pp. 317-326. ISSN 0921-5093 Li, Y., Mohamed, F. A. (1997). "An investigation of creep behavior in an SiC-2124 Al composite". *Acta Mater*., Vol. 45, No. 11, pp. 4775-4785, ISSN 1359-6454 Montoya-Dávila, M., Pech-Canul, M. A., Pech-Canul, M. I. (2007). "Effect of bi- and tri-

Montoya-Dávila, M., Pech-Canul, M. A., Pech-Canul, M. I. (2009). "Effect of SiCp multimodal

Pai, B. C., Ramani, G., Pillai, R. M., Satyanarana, K. G. (1995). "Role of magnesium in cast

Pardo, A., Merino, M. C., Merino, S., López, M. D., Viejo F., Carboneras. M. (2003).

*Materials Science Forum*, Vols. 189-190, pp. 321-328, ISNN 0255-5476

*Corrosion*, Vol. 48, No. 7 (July 1992), pp. 546-552, ISSN 0010-9312

*Science*, Vol. 41, No. 6, (June 1999), pp. 1185-1203, ISSN 0010-938X

151, No. 6, pp. B299-B303, ISSN: 0013-4651

2009), pp. 683-689, ISSN 0947-5117

189-190, pp. 43-56, ISNN 0255-5476

306-30496-1, New York

71, ISSN 0032-5910

ISSN 0022-2461

3069

by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy". *Journal of the Electrochemical Society*, Vol.

6061-SiC metal matrix composite to identify the operative mechanism for accelerated aging". *Mater. Sci. and Eng. A*, Vol. 112, (June 1989), ISSN 0921-5093 Escalera-Lozano, R., Pech-Canul, M. A., Pech-Canul, M. I., Quintana, P. (2009). "Corrosion

characteristics of Al-Si-Mg/SiCp composites with varying Si/Mg molar ratio in neutral chloride solutions". *J. Materials and Corrosion*, Vol. 60, No. 9, (September

(2010)."The role of Mg2Si in the corrosion behavior of Al-Si-Mg alloys for pressureless

performance of ceramic particle reinforced aluminum metal matrix composites",

discontinuously reinforced metal matrix composites". *Materials Science Forum*, Vols.

AA2024/SiCp composites using a double cyclic polarization technique". *Corrosion* 

modal size distribution on the superficial hardness of SiCp in Al/SiCp composites prepared by pressureless infiltration". *Powder Technology* Vol. 176, No. 2-3, pp. 66-

distribution on pitting behavior of Al/SiCp composites prepared by reactive infiltration". *J. Powder Technology*, Vol. 195, No. 3, pp. 196-202, ISSN 0032-5910 Mousavi Abarghouie, S. M. R., Seyed Reihani, S. M. (2010). "Aging behavior of a 2024 Al

alloy-SiCp composite", *Materials and design*, Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 2368-2374. ISSN 0261-

aluminum alloy matrix composites". J. Mater. Sci., Vol. 30 No. 8, pp. 1903-1911,

"Influence of reinforcement grade and matrix composition on corrosion resistance

unreinforced aluminum alloys. Since pits initiate at secondary particles within the metal matrix, and as a greater number of intermetallic phases form in the composites, these have more pit initiation sites. It is suggested from this discussion that corrosion tests should precede mechanical evaluation involving hardness, creep and fatigue and fracture studies. A thoughtful consideration of the abovementioned factors and response variables involved increases the likelihood for Al/SiC composites to achieve their full potential in a safe and cost-effective way.
