부산대학교 도서관

Magnetic field-assisted freeze-casting was used to create porous B4C ceramic preforms. An optimum slurry consisted of a mixture of B4C powders and 6-wt% Er2O3 powder in a H2O-PVA solution, which was cooled at a rate of 1 °C/min from room temperature to − 30 °C, resulting in porous green state ceramic preforms with vertical channels. Sintered ceramic preforms were then infiltrated in the most vertically aligned channel direction with molten Al (A356) metal through a vacuum-assisted pump to create the metal matrix composite (MMC). The MMCs were imaged using 3D X-ray microscopy and mechanically tested under compression. These results were compared with finite element analysis simulations that verified the anisotropic effect of B4C channel alignment on mechanical properties. This study highlights magnetic field-assisted freeze-casting as a viable method to create highly directional ceramic preforms, which can be subsequently metal infiltrated to create MMCs.Graphical abstract: