Fabrication of carbon fibre preform with water-glass binder and infiltration of aluminium alloy melt by squeeze casting

ABSTRACT For reducing the forming cost of the PAN-based carbon fibre preforms, a water glass binder was used as a substitute for conventional silica binder. The preforms were infiltrated with an aluminium alloy melt by squeeze casting to fabricate the fibre-reinforced composites. The microstructure and properties of the composites were compared to the composites using the silica binder. In the composites, the water glass binder mainly remained in the vicinity of the fibre–aluminium interface and partially distributed in the matrix. The reaction near the interface between the alloy melt and binder was not recognised. The thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity and the compressive strength of the composites using the water glass binder were approximately equivalent to those of the composite using the silica binder. Based on these results, the water glass can be used as an alternative binder to the silica sol.