Abstract: A mechanical impact metal coating technology was developed during powder blending by a mechanical alloying ball mill and the optimal balling parameters of the technology were investigated to manufacture SiCp/Fe composites by hot press process. The results showed that the damage to reinforcing particles or matrix during mechanical alloying can be avoided and the reinforcing particles can be coated by the matrix metal with balltopowder ratio of 5∶1， rotational speed of 225r/min and coating time of 120min. The new technology can improve the distribution of the particulate reinforcements in the composites and shows the stronger effect as the higher volume fraction of the particulate reinforcements in the composites. The properties of the composites are also improved significantly by the new powder blending technology. Microstructure observations indicate that the reinforcing particles are impacted into the iron powder and the decrease in interfacial defects between the particles contributes to the load transfer from the matrix to particles， so that the mechanical properties of the composites are improved by the technology.

Key words: MMCs (metal matrix composites), mechanical impact metal coating, SiCp/Fe composites, mechanical properties