(57) A composite material is made from alumina-silica type short fibers embedded in a
matrix of metal. The metal is an alloy consisting essentially of between approximately
1.5% to approximately 6% of copper, between approximately 0.5% to approximately 2%
of silicon, and remainder substantially aluminum. The short fibers may be all alumina
short fibers, or may be all amorphous alumina-silica short fibers, or may have a substantial
proportion of the mullite crystalline form included in them. The fiber volume proportion
of the alumina-silica type short fibers may desirably be between approximately 5%
and approximately 50%, and may more desirably be between approximately 5% and approximately
40%. And, in the desirable case that the fiber volume proportion of the alumina-silica
type short fibers is between approximately 5% and approximately 20%, then the copper
content of said aluminum alloy matrix metal is desired to be between approximately
2% and approximately 6%.
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