Aluminum matrix composites: Structural design and microstructure evolution in the deformation process

In recent years, there has been tremendous growth in the use of Al matrix composites (AMCs) in various engineering applications. The aerospace and automotive industries are using more and more AMC parts. It has been widely recognized that the comprehensive properties of AMCs are significantly affected and determined by the structural design and the evolution of the microstructure of AMCs in the deformation process. Based on the current research status of the design of AMC structure and the evolution of microstructure, this paper presents a panorama of the design of the structure and the evolution of microstructure with respect to the reinforcements, the interface between Al matrix and reinforcements, and the Al matrix in AMCs, respectively. The overall properties or performance of AMCs are examined in this review, which emphasizes their advantages and limitations as compared to their traditional or unreinforced counterparts. The experimental and theoretical analysis and prediction to aid the design of the spatial distribution of reinforcements and the optimization of structural parameters, as well as the study of the evolution of microstructures, are critically analyzed, discussed, and elucidated. Finally, the research gap, the key challenges in research and the promising application potentials in future are also discussed and articulated.