Composite components formed with loose ceramic material

Abstract

An apparatus and methods for controlling the location and distribution of loose ceramic particles in a ceramic metal composite component formed via casting. A retaining structure that may include loose ceramic particles is placed in a casting mold at a desired location for ceramic particles in the composite component prior to pouring molten metal into the casting mold. Alternatively, the loose ceramic particles may be introduced into the mold concurrently with the molten metal.

1 . A method comprising:
 pouring molten metal into a casting mold used to form a composite component;   adding loose ceramic particles to the mold during the pouring of the molten metal;   controlling the addition of the loose ceramic particles based in part on a flow rate and a density of the molten metal and a desired location of the loose ceramic particles in the composite component; and   forming the composite component by cooling the molten metal in the casting mold.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an amount of loose ceramic particles added is based in part on a desired uniformity or a desired density of the loose ceramic particles in the composite component. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adding is further controlled based in part on a temperature of the molten metal, turbulence of the molten metal, a temperature of the loose ceramic particles, and a density or a size of the loose ceramic particles. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising preheating the ceramic particles prior to adding the loose ceramic particles to the mold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the loose ceramic particles comprises adding a first amount of loose ceramic particles, the method further comprising adding a second amount of loose ceramic particles at a time interval after adding the first amount of loose ceramic particles. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first amount and the second amount of loose ceramic particles are of different ceramic materials and/or different sizes of particles. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the loose ceramic particles have a density that is greater than a density of the molten metal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the loose ceramic particles have a density that is less than a density of the molten metal. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the controlling the addition of loose ceramic particles comprises placing a first portion of the loose ceramic particles in a first location and placing a second portion of the loose ceramic particles in a second location. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes a first type of ceramic particles and the second portion includes a second type of ceramic particles. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composite component includes FeMnAl. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 pouring a molten steel alloy into a casting mold;   introducing loose ceramic particles into a flow of the molten steel alloy into the casting mold;   controlling the introducing of the loose ceramic particles based in part on a flow rate and a density of the molten steel alloy and a desired location of the loose ceramic particles in a composite component; and   forming the composite component by cooling the molten steel alloy in the casting mold.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the loose ceramic particles sink in the molten steel alloy to reside in the desired location of the mold. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the loose ceramic particles float in the molten steel alloy forming a composite layer of the composite component. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the loose ceramic particles partially sink in the molten steel alloy to reside in a middle section of the composite component. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising pouring a second molten alloy that comprises a different alloy than the molten steel alloy into the mold at a time interval after pouring the molten steel alloy. 
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a composite component comprising:
 pouring a molten metal into a casting mold;   pouring a first plurality of loose ceramic particles into the mold contemporaneously with the pouring of the molten metal;   controlling the pouring of the first plurality of loose ceramic particles based in part on a flow rate and a density of the molten metal and a desired location of the first plurality of loose ceramic particles in the composite component;   pouring a second plurality of loose ceramic grain particles into the sand mold contemporaneously with the pouring of the molten metal a time interval after pouring the first plurality of loose ceramic particles;   controlling the pouring of the second plurality of loose ceramic particles based in part on a flow rate and a density of the molten metal and a desired location of the second plurality of loose ceramic particles in the composite component; and   forming the composite component by cooling the molten metal.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the desired location of the first plurality of loose ceramic particles is at a first side of the mold and the desired location of the second plurality of loose ceramic particles is at a second side of the mold that is spaced apart from the first side. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of loose ceramic particles forms a first layer and the second plurality of loose ceramic particles forms a second layer disposed above the first layer in the mold. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of loose ceramic particles comprise a size, shape, density, and/or composition that is different than the second plurality of loose ceramic particles.