Processing and properties of copper-coated carbon fibre reinforced aluminium alloy composites

Aluminium alloy matrix composites with carbon fibre reinforcement were prepared by stir casting method. In order to avoid any interfacial reactions in the carbon fibre reinforced composites, the carbon fibres were coated with copper. The fibres were coated by electroless coating method and then characterized. Composites containing different amounts of carbon fibres were prepared by stir casting and then subjected to age-hardening treatment. Fibre distribution was fairly uniform in the composites containing up to 4 wt% carbon fibres. Tensile strength of the composites was found to be increasing up to 4 wt% carbon fibre.