The fabrication of magnesium matrix composites using spontaneous infiltration phenomenon becomes possible by adding SiO
2 powder (infiltration agent) to SiC
p powder (reinforcement), even at relatively low holding temperature and under argon atmosphere. It is probably because the wettability between Mg melt at the infiltration front and reinforcement is improved by Mg/SiO
2 thermit reaction heating. In this paper, the infiltration velocity is measured. Especially the effects of SiC
p diameter from 2 to 8μm and SiO
2 content are discussed. The results show that the infiltration velocity is in the range from 0.01 to 0.7mm•s
-1, and it depends both on SiC
p diameter and on SiO
2 content. The effect of SiO
2 content on infiltration velocity is complex,
i. e. the velocity increases with increasing SiO
2 content up to 15mass%, and then decreases steeply. This decrease is probably caused by the increased infiltration resistance with MgO and Mg
2Si, products of Mg/SiO
2 reaction. Up to 15mass%SiO
2, the increasing of infiltration front temperature by increasing SiO
2 content is efficient, resulting in faster infiltration velocity. Above this content, the effect of infiltration resistance by the reaction products becomes more significant than that of the temperature increase, resulting in slower velocity.
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