Friction Stir Additive Manufacturing of AA7075/Al2O3 and Al/MgB2 Composites for Improved Wear and Radiation Resistance in Aerospace Applications

The research focuses on a class of materials called multifunctional metal matrix composites (MMCs) that combine with structural and functional characteristics. These materials can offer better protection from space environmental dangers without sacrificing scalability, weight, or mass. An MMC is a metal matrix composite made using a scalable friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM) technique. It contains more than 30% volume of evenly distributed metallic/ceramic particles. In aluminum MMCs, the FSAM approach and the significant amount of nanoparticles significantly improve the microstructures of the metal matrices, leading to interparticle gaps smaller than 1 um. So, the FSAM process refines the MMC matrix while combining a high concentration of metallic and ceramic particles. This improves hardness and coefficient of friction, and it also integrates the functionalities of adding nanoparticles into the MMCs, which is crucial for justifying threats in the aviation environment. This allows for effective radiation shielding, increased durability in high temperatures, and increased friction at contact surfaces.