Mechanical properties of 7xxx series Al metal matrix composite (MMC) powders containing different amounts of ceramic were investigated. The ceramic contents of the starting powders were 5 wt.% or 10 wt.%. The powders were uniaxially cold compacted using a cylindrical die with a compacting pressure of 250 MPa and were sintered at in a dry atmosphere for 60 min. For the heat treatment, sintered parts were solution treated at and aged at . Compression tests were conducted to reveal the effect of particle content on the mechanical properties of the composites. Fractography was examined using a scanning electron microscope.

Aging characteristics and mechanical properties of commercial 7xxx series Al composites were investigated from viewpoint of ceramic contents. After sintering process, sintered densities of blended and composite powder were 95 and 97%, respectively. Each part was solution-treated at for 60 min and aged . And two-step aging was also performed form . The aging behavior of the sintered composite pow-der was different from that of sintered blended powder. The peak aging time of the composite was rapid as well due to strain. Before aging, mechanical properties of sintered composite powder was significantly higher than that of sintered blended powder. These increments of properties were directly affected by ceramic particles. However, after aging, incremental rate of mechanical properties was slowed in the composite

7xxx series Al alloy has the most attractive properties including its excellent high specific strength, stress corrosion cracking and corrosion-resistance. However, in case of the Al-Zn system, the liquid phase has a transient aspect because of the high solid solubility of Zn in Al. Therefore, transient liquid phase sintering behavior was observed during the sintering process. And the amount of liquid and its duration were influenced by the process variables including heating rate and final sintering temperature. At high heating rates(), the liquid fraction increased during sintering because diffusion was minimized and therefore local saturation could easily occur. The sintered density increased with increasing heating rate.

The sintering characteristics of commercial 7xxx series Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy have been investigated. Sintering system of this blended elemental powder has aspects of both transient and supersolidus liquid phase sintering. Transient liquids occur when the constitution point during sintering lies in a solid phase region but where the sintering temperature is greater than either the melting point of one of the constituent or a eutectic temperature. Supersolidus liquid phase sintering occurs when a preblended powder is heated to a temperature between the solidus and liquids. However, these reaction were restrained their inter diffusion due to the appearance of the oxide film. Thus, 7xxx series Al alloy is extremely sensitive to process variables, including particle size, holding time and sintering temperature. Therefore, above phenomenons were observed formation and behaviour of the liquid by using SEM and DSC.