The aging behavior of sintered Al composites with various ceramic contents was investigated. 2xxx series blended powder was used as the starting powder. Ceramic contents were 0wt.% and 5wt.%. The blended powders were compacted at 250MPa. The sintering process was performed at for 60min in a atmosphere. Each part was solution-treated at for 60min and aged at . The Rockwell hardness at the peak aging time increased with ceramic contents. However, the peak aging time at maximum hardness was reduced with increased ceramic contents.

Sintering behavior of 2xxx series Al alloy was investigated to obtain full densification and sound microstructure. The commercial 2xxx series Al alloy powder. AMB2712, was used as a starting powder. The mixing powder was characterized by using particle size analyzer, SEM and XRD. The optimum compacting pressure was 200 MPa, which was the starting point of the "homogeneous deformation" stage. The powder compacts were sintered at after burn-off process at . Swelling phenomenon caused by transient liquid phase sintering was observed below of sintering temperature. At , sintering density was increased by effect of remained liquid phase. Further densification was not observed above . Therefore, it was determined that the optimum sintering temperature of AMB2712 powder was .C.

The characteristics of two commercial 2xxx series Al alloy powders, AMB2712 and 201AB, were evaluated and their compacting and sintering characteristics were discussed in tems of compacting pressure. The particle shapes of both two powder mixtures were irregular and their particle size distributions were broad. The compactibility of AMB2712 was superior to that of 201AB because of better fluidity. The sintered density was higher than the green density at low compacting pressure, however, it was lower than the green density when the samples were compacted at higher pressure due to the selling during sintering. The sintered density was alomost the same as the green density at the "homogeneous deformation" stage. It was observed that pores were created at the triple points due to the rapid diffusion of Cu in Al. Cu in Al.