Inventors:
Albert P. Levitt - Newton Center MA
Hans E. Band - Bedford MA
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC
International Classification:
C23C 100, B32B 1514
Abstract:
A method is disclosed for pretreating graphite fibers and woven graphite preforms so that they may be wetted and infiltrated by molten metals such as aluminum and alloys thereof. Pretreatment includes immersing graphite fibers or preforms in a bath of liquid NaK alloy at room temperature. The pretreatment allows a lower temperature and shorter immersion time than prior art processes and permits improved wetting and infiltration by the molten metal constituting the matrix of a graphite fiber reinforced metal composite.