Enhancing damping capacity and mechanical properties of aluminum matrix composites by the synergistic strengthening of SiC particles and carbon fibers.

• A novel technique was developed to fabricate Al matrix composites. • In the Al matrix composites, SiC p and carbon fibers were evenly distributed. • The mechanical and damping properties of the Al matrix composites were improved. A colloidal dispersion and suction filtration novel technique was developed to fabricate SiC particles (SiC p) and carbon fibers (C fs) synergistically reinforced Al matrix composites (SiC p -C fs /Al composites). The SiC p and C fs could be uniformly inserted into the Al matrix by the approach, and the manufactured SiC p -C fs /Al composites exhibited a dense structure, according to microstructural observations of the composites. The tensile strength and damping capacity of SiC p -C fs /Al composites were dramatically increased when compared to SiC p reinforced Al matrix composites. The homogenous distribution of SiC p and C fs in the Al matrix, which offers an excellent synergistic strengthening effect, is responsible for the simultaneous improvement of the strength and damping properties of the SiC p -C fs /Al composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]