Patent ID: 8282748

Claim:
A process for producing metal-matrix composite materials comprising at least one portion of magnesium or of a magnesium alloy as a metal component and a Mg 2 Si phase component, the process comprising the steps of: thixomolding a granulate of magnesium or of a magnesium alloy and a granulate of a silicon or of a silicon alloy to produce the Mg 2 Si phase with a volumetric content of between 2% and 15% by weight silicon in the Mg 2 Si phase as a matrix component dispersed into and thereby forming the metal-matrix composite material with the Mg 2 Si phase in the metal-matrix composite being present in an amount from 5% to 40% by volume, wherein the step of thixomolding includes shearing to form an at least partially liquid melt, wherein after adding the granulate of the silicon or of the silicon alloy to the granulate of magnesium or of a magnesium alloy, a heating rate of the thixomolding step is reduced when a melt first forms.