JOURNAL OF MATERIALS FROCESSING TECHNOLOGT 200 (2008)12-24 e ELSEVIER journal homepage:www.elsevier.com/locate/jmatprotec Review Fabrication of metal matrix composites by metal injection molding-A review Hezhou Ye.,Xing Yang Liub,Hanping Hong National Research Council of Canada,London N6G 4X8,Canada ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Articde history: Metalinjection molding(MIM isa near net-shape manufacturing technology that is capable ived 7 Au of mass production of complex parts cost-effectively.The unique features of the pro 27 Scpte mber 2007 a the status of the research and development in fabricating metal matrix composite Accepted Keywords: fabricating metal matrix composites is yet to be explored. der injection molding(PM Crown Copyright2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.All rights reserved Contents 1.Introduction 13 22 Intermetallics based MMCs sed MMC 3. MMC by microMIM. 4. 15167151901 ina author 0924036dd opyright 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2007.10.066journal of materials processing technology 200 (2008) 12–24 journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jmatprotec Review Fabrication of metal matrix composites by metal injection molding—A review Hezhou Ye a,∗, Xing Yang Liub, Hanping Hong a a Faculty of Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London N6A 5B9, Canada b Advanced Materials Design, Industrial Materials Institute, National Research Council of Canada, London N6G 4X8, Canada article info Article history: Received 7 August 2007 Received in revised form 27 September 2007 Accepted 24 October 2007 Keywords: Powder injection molding (PIM) Metal injection molding (MIM) Metal matrix composite (MMC) abstract Metal injection molding (MIM) is a near net-shape manufacturing technology that is capable of mass production of complex parts cost-effectively. The unique features of the process make it an attractive route for the fabrication of metal matrix composite materials. In this paper, the status of the research and development in fabricating metal matrix composites by MIM is reviewed, with a major focus on material systems, fabrication methods, resulting material properties and microstructures. Also, limitations and needs of the technique in composite fabrication are presented in the literature. The full potential of MIM process for fabricating metal matrix composites is yet to be explored. Crown Copyright © 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) by MIM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2.1. Refractory metal based MMCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2.2. Titanium based MMCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 2.3. Intermetallics based MMCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 2.4. Steel based MMCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 2.5. Bimetal structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 3. MMC by microMIM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 4. Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail address: hye5@uwo.ca (H. Ye). 0924-0136/$ – see front matter. Crown Copyright © 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2007.10.066