Magnesium-matrix composites (MgMCs) are very promising as structural materials because of their low density, high specific strength, and excellent castability. This article provides information on the characteristics, mechanical properties, and applications of magnesium alloys and composites. It discusses the microstructures used for the most common magnesium alloys used in metal-matrix composites, namely, magnesium-aluminum, magnesium-rare earth and magnesium-lithium alloys. The article focuses on the most common methods of heat treatment, including solution heat treatment, precipitation strengthening or aging, and annealing, applied to these alloys. Finally, it describes the microstructural aspects and precipitate-matrix relationships of MgMCs as well as the heat treatment methods for MgMCs.

This article begins with a discussion on the environmental factors that induce corrosion in magnesium alloys. It reviews the factors that determine the severity of different forms of localized corrosion, namely, galvanic corrosion, corrosion fatigue, and stress-corrosion. The article discusses the corrosion protection in magnesium assemblies and the protective coating systems used in corrosion protection practices. The protection schemes for specific applications and production of novel magnesium alloys with improved corrosion resistance are also described. The article concludes with a discussion on corrosion of bulk vapor-deposited alloys and magnesium-matrix composites.

Metal-matrix composites (MMCs) are a class of materials with a wide variety of structural, wear, and thermal management applications. This article discusses primary processing methods that are used to manufacture discontinuous aluminum MMCs, namely, high-pressure die casting, pressure infiltration casting, liquid metal infiltration, spray deposition, and powder metallurgy methods. It describes the processing of continuous fiber-reinforced aluminum, discontinuously, reinforced titanium, and continuous fiber-reinforced titanium. The article concludes with information on work done to develop magnesium, copper, and superalloy MMCs.

Metal-matrix composites (MMCs) are a class of materials with potential for a wide variety of structural and thermal applications. This article discusses the mechanical properties of MMCs, namely aluminum-matrix composites, titanium-matrix composites, magnesium-matrix composites, copper-matrix composites, superalloy-matrix composites, and intermetallic-matrix composites. It describes the processing methods of discontinuous aluminum MMCs which include casting processes, liquid-metal infiltration, spray deposition and powder metallurgy. The article provides useful information on aluminum MMC designation system and also describes the types of continuous fiber aluminum MMCs, including aluminum/boron MMC, aluminum/silicon carbide MMC, aluminum/graphite MMC, and aluminum/alumina MMC.

Metal-matrix composites (MMCs) are a class of materials with potential for a wide variety of structural and thermal management applications. They are nonflammable, do not outgas in a vacuum, and suffer minimal attack by organic fluids, such as fuels and solvents. This article presents an overview of the status of MMCs, and provides information on physical and mechanical properties, processing methods, distinctive features, and various types of continuously and discontinuously reinforced aluminum, magnesium, titanium, copper, superalloy, and intermetallic-matrix composites. It further discusses the property prediction and processing methods for MMCs.

Magnesium is machined in low-volume production on small, manually operated machine tools and on large, specially built, completely automated transfer machines operating at high production rates. This article focuses on the factors that affect the machining of magnesium. It discusses chip formation and distortion due to thermal expansion, cold work, and clamping and provides information on magnesium-matrix composites. The article describes materials, design, and sharpness as factors for selection of tool for machining magnesium. It illustrates turning and boring, planing and shaping, broaching, drilling, reaming, counterboring, milling, sawing, and grinding operations performed on magnesium. Safety measures related to machining, handling of chips and fines, and fire extinguishing are also discussed.

This article begins with the discussion on the background of metal-matrix composites (MMC) and moves into a broad description of the general parameters affecting the corrosion of MMC. It discusses the primary sources of MMC corrosion that include galvanic corrosion between MMC constituents, chemical degradation of interphases and reinforcements, microstructure-influenced corrosion, and processing-induced corrosion. The article elaborates on the corrosion behavior of specific aluminum, magnesium, titanium, copper, stainless steel, lead, depleted uranium, and zinc MMCs systems. It concludes with a description on the corrosion control of MMCs using protective coatings and inhibitors.

This article begins by describing the designations of cast and wrought aluminum alloys. It explains the effects of main alloying elements in aluminum alloys: boron, chromium, copper, iron, lithium, magnesium, manganese, nickel, phosphorus, silicon, sodium, strontium, titanium, and zinc. The article describes the microstructure of cast and wrought aluminum alloys and the various strengthening mechanisms, including solid solution, grain refinement, strain or work hardening, precipitation (or age) hardening, and dispersoid strengthening. The article explicates the tribological behavior of aluminum alloys, aluminum-base composites, and metal-matrix composites. It presents the effect of material-related parameters and external factors on wear behavior and transitions of aluminum-silicon alloys. The article also presents the most important factors affecting the dry sliding wear behavior of particle-reinforced aluminum-base composites against a steel counterface.

This article is an atlas of fractographs that helps in understanding the causes and mechanisms of fracture of metal-matrix composites, including tungsten fiber-reinforced aluminum, tungsten fiber-reinforced carbon steel, and tungsten fiber-reinforced silver. The fractographs illustrate the ductile fracture, interlaminar failure, transgranular cleavage and fracture, tension-overload fracture, longitudinal and transverse cracking, fiber splitting, stress rupture, and low-cycle fatigue of these composites.

This article focuses on the techniques used in recycling of aluminum metal matrix composites (MMCs) such as discontinuous SiC reinforced aluminum MMCs and continuous reinforced aluminum MMCs. It provides a discussion on the properties of recycled aluminum MMCs and disposal of aluminum MMCs.

This article discusses the solidification of matrix alloy in cast metal matrix composites (MMCs). It begins with a discussion on the mixing techniques in reinforcement incorporation and wettability of reinforcement. It describes the solidification processes, such as stir mixing and melt infiltration, used in the synthesis of MMCs. The article also discusses the fundamentals of solidification process and presents a computational modeling of particle/solidification front interactions in metal-ceramic systems. The article concludes with information on nanocomposites.

This article summarizes the mechanical and thermal properties of discontinuously reinforced aluminum metal matrix compo