Institut Cerac Sa

Derek Raybould

Bo Lemcke

A wear resistant alloy of aluminium and an iron-based material. The alloy contains from 10% to 60% by volume of the iron-based material. The alloy has been created by very rapid surface heating of powder particles causing melting of the surface of the aluminium particles. The heating is produced by a shock wave pressure pulse. These surface regions are then very rapidly cooled by the rest of the particles so as to avoid chemical reactions between the aluminium particles and the particles of the iron-based material. The time at high temperature is of the order of a few microseconds at most.

Wear resistant aluminium alloy

A method of compacting powder comprising interweldable particles into a solid body by using a shock wave. The shock wave has such an amplitude that interwelding of the particles in the powder is obtained. The shock wave is generated by impact of either a body impacted against the powder or by a capsule containing the powder, which capsule is impacted against a support instead of the body. The velocity at which the body or the capsule is impacted is about 300 to 2000 m/sec. The duration of the compacting pressure following behind the shock wave is determined by the chosen length and the chosen impedance of said body or said capsule and said support. The shock wave is chosen such that it propagates through the powder with a rise time which is shorter than the time necessary for obtaining equalization of the overall temperature. The compacting pressure must be maintained so long that the welds on the surfaces of the powder particles solidify.

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Preverenges, Switzerland

Derek Raybould