Effect of sintering process on microstructure and properties of Al–Si alloy made by powder metallurgy for electronic packaging application

Abstract The impact of the sintering temperature on the microstructure and characteristics of Al–Si composite was investigated in this study. Al-60Si (wt%) composites were sintered at different temperatures, and the microstructural features were evaluated. Optimal microstructural characteristics were observed when the composites were sintered at 850 °C for 2 h. The resulting material exhibited a thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, and relative density of 131.4 W/(m·K), 10.02 × 10 –6 K –1 , and 99.87%, respectively. Elevating the temperature facilitated better wettability of the material, which in turn aided the filling of voids within the material by liquid Al. In addition, a decrease in the total number of interfaces within the material and the establishment of a connected network by the Al matrix contributed to enhanced thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion.