Author(s)

Emmanuelle Girardin, Chiara Renghini, Jack Dyson, Vittorio Calbucci, Francesca Moroncini, Gianni Albertini

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Direct Laser Sintering (DSL), a technology enabling the production of dense metal components directly from 3D CAD data, was used for the first time to produce a Metal Matrix Composite (MMCp) based on Al-Si-Cu alloy in view of its application in different fields, in particular for aeronautics. The porosity of the material obtained so was investigated by using optical and electron microscopy and, in particular, X-ray computed microtomography techniques. DSL is a unique technique to produce complex components in an economical way while computed microtomography is a unique technique to evaluate the porosity and pore and cracks distribution in a not destructive way. A near homogeneous distribution of the porosity and pore sizes was observed both comparing different regions of the same specimen and also by comparing different samples obtained by using the same DLS production method. A quantitative analysis of the damage in the composite is also reported.

Metal Matrix Composite, Direct Laser Sintering, X-Ray Synchrotron, Computed Microtomography, Porosity

E. Girardin, C. Renghini, J. Dyson, V. Calbucci, F. Moroncini and G. Albertini, "Characterization of Porosity in a Laser Sintered MMCp Using X-Ray Synchrotron Phase Contrast Microtomography," Materials Sciences and Applications, Vol. 2 No. 9, 2011, pp. 1322-1330. doi: 10.4236/msa.2011.29180.