Abstract: Mixed Al-Si and Al-Cu powders were investigated as insert layers to reactive diffusion bond SiCp/6063 metal matrix composite (MMC). The results show that SiCp/6063 MMC joints bonded by the insert layers of the mixed Al-Si and Al-Cu powders have a dense joining layer of high quality. The mass transfer between the bonded materials and insert layers during bonding leads to the hypoeutectic microstructure of the joining layers bonded by both the mixed Al-Si and Al-Cu powders with eutectic composition. At fixed bonding time (temperature), the shear strength of the joints by both insert layers of the mixed Al-Si and Al-Cu powders increases with increasing the bonding temperature (time), but get maxima at bonding temperature 600℃ (time 90~min).

Key words: Reactive diffusion bonding, Insert powder layer, SiCp/Al metal matrix composites