Structure homogeneity as a parameter for evaluation of composite casting quality

The structure of composite materials is be usually described as a compound of two structural components called matrix and reinforcement, respectively. A classic, commonly known example is polyester resin reinforced with glass fibres. Composite materials obtained through casting techniques are frequently characterised by irregular distribution and content of reinforcement in the casting volume as well as by different shape and size of this structural element [1–5]. It clearly results from the fundamentals of materials engineering that this type of structural diversity has a crucial effect on its broadly understood properties. Therefore, a need arises to define in a simple but precise way what we understand as homogeneity or non-homogeneity of the material, as well as for introduction of measures for this feature. The present study is limited to cast metal-matrix composite materials that, due to their manufacture technology, are particularly susceptible to the occurrence of non-homogeneity. However, the proposed solution may be also applied in characterisation of other materials. Till now, the concept of non-homogeneity has no commonly accepted definition [6-10]. Among others, it is defined as: – deviation of certain geometric features from the structure accepted conventionally as homogenous; – local structure disorder, the intensity of which is accomplished with different probability; – derivative of the diversity of geometric features of measured elements which results from their orientation (anisotropy) or position (gradient) in a tested object. In the case of composite castings when the concept of defect as deviation from the desired features is being used as a rule in describing the quality parameters of these materials, it seems to be advisable to introduce the concept of material homogeneity. Deviation from this feature, i.e. a defect, will be the non-homogeneity of, for instance, structure porosity or amount, spatial distribution, size or shape of reinforcing phase precipitations. This paper presents a proposal for complex determination of reinforcement structure homogeneity along with its practical application.