Abstract
In this study, Al-(30-X)B(4)C-(X)Gd(2)O(3)-25 W (X = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30) hybrid composites were fabricated using high-energy ball milling. The composite powders were milled for 5 h and subsequently cold-pressed into cylindrical pellets under a pressure of 750 MPa. The mechanical, physical, and radiation shielding properties of the resulting pellets were systematically investigated. To prevent oxidation, the pellets were sealed under vacuum and sintered at 600 °C for 3 h in an argon atmosphere. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) were employed to analyze the microstructure and phase composition of the composites. Furthermore, the relative density, hardness, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance were systematically investigated. High-energy ball milling was optimized to investigate the effects of Gd(2)O(3) and B(4)C ratios on the density, hardness, and corrosion behavior of the composites. The results show that the relative density value peaks at Al-30Gd(2)O(3)-25 W content, while the hardness and wear resistance values are maximized at Al-30B(4)C-25 W content. Furthermore, the corrosion resistance improved significantly with increasing Gd(2)O(3) content. This is attributed to the fact that Gd(2)O(3) increases microstructural stability, preventing the formation of microcracks and forming a protective film on the surface. The MCNP simulation results reveal that incorporating Gd(2)O(3) in place of B(4)C enhances thermal neutron and gamma-ray shielding properties, while slightly reducing fast neutron shielding performance. These findings suggest that Al-B(4)C-Gd(2)O(3)-W hybrid composites can be designed to optimize their mechanical, corrosion, and wear properties for various engineering applications. In particular, careful selection of process conditions and component ratios plays a critical role in enhancing the overall performance of these composites.