Structure and room-temperature deformation of alumina fiber-reinforced aluminum

Plastic deformation under uniaxial longitudinal tension and compression is investigated for pure aluminum reinforced with a high volume fraction of parallel alumina fibers. The matrix substructure is also examined in transmission electron microscopy. The aim is to study thein situ room-temperature mechanical behavior, particularly the work-hardening rate, of pure aluminum when reinforced with a high volume fraction of chemically inert ceramic reinforcement. The matrix substructure prior to deformation, composed of cells about2 μm in diameter, is similar to that of highly deformed unreinforced aluminum. Measured compressive composite elastic moduli agree with rule of mixture predictions; however, no elastic regime is found during tensile loading. As tensile deformation proceeds above a strain around 0.05 pct, a constant rate of work hardening is reached, in which the matrix contribution is negligible within experimental error. Upon unloading from tensile straining, Bauschinger yielding begins before the composite reaches zero load, as predicted by the rule of mixtures. The matrix substructure after load reversal retains a2- μm cell size but with greater irregularity in the dislocation configurations. Using the rule of mixtures,in situ stress-strain curves are derived for the reinforced aluminum matrix and described by a modified Voce law. Formerly with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology     

Pretension-Dependent Residual Stress of Alumina Fiber-Reinforced Composite Wire

The relationship between pretension and residual stress of an aluminum wire reinforced with 45 vol pct continuous Nextel? 610 alumina fibers is investigated. It is shown that as pretension stress increases, the matrix residual stress decreases. A transition in matrix residual stress from tension to compression occurs at a pretension stress of about 80 MPa. The initial rapidly decreased residual stress caused by pretension at relatively low pretension stresses is a result of matrix elastic compressive deformation; while the later gradually decreased residual stress at higher pretension stresses comes from matrix plastic compressive deformation. As the matrix yield stress and hardening exponent increase, the decrease in matrix residual stress with pretension stress is more rapid and the absolute value of matrix residual stress increases. An analytical model suitable for fiber-reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) with strong interfacial bonding is developed to describe the relationship between pretension and matrix residual stress and is shown to be in good agreement with the experimental and finite-element calculated results. The pretension-dependent matrix residual stress phenomenon suggests that the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced MMCs associated with matrix residual stress may be effectively improved by applying tensile loads.     

Chemical reactions between aluminum and fly ash during synthesis and reheating of Al-fly ash composite

Thermodynamic analysis indicates that there is the possibility of chemical reactions between aluminum melt and cenosphere fly ash particles. These particles contain alumina, silica, and iron oxide, which, during solidification processing of aluminum-fly ash composites or during holding of such composites at temperatures above the melting temperature of aluminum, are likely to undergo chemical reduction. These chemical reactions between the fly ash and molten aluminum have been studied by metallographic examination, differential thermal analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray analysis after holding the aluminum-fly ash composites for different periods above the liquidus temperature. The experiments indicate that there is progressive reduction of silica and mullite in the fly ash, and formation of alumina with holding time of composites at a temperature of 850 °C. The walls of the cenosphere fly ash particles progressively disintegrate into discrete particles as the reaction progresses. The rate of chemical reaction was high at the start of holding the composite at a temperature of 850 °C, and then the rate significantly decreased with time. The reaction was almost complete after 10 hours.     

Compressive deformation and energy absorbing characteristic of foamed aluminum

Experiments were carried out to investigate the deformation and energy absorbing characteristics and mechanisms of foamed aluminum (FA) with two different matrices. Some new results were obtained. It is found that, like other cellular solid materials, FA has a stress-strain curve with three distinct regions, i.e., the linear elasticity region, the plastic collapse region or brittle crushing region, and the densification region. The energy absorbing capacity of FA increases by increasing the relative density and the yielding strength. Brittle foam exhibits higher capacity than plastic foam with similar yielding strengths. FA reaches its peak value of energy absorbing efficiency at the strain of about 0.15 to 0.35, depending on the relative density. AlMg10 foam shows higher absorbing capacity and efficiency than Al foam.     

Deformation Behavior Estimation of Aluminum Foam by X-ray CT Image-based Finite Element Analysis

Aluminum foam is a lightweight material owing to the existence of a large number of internal pores. The compressive properties and deformation behavior of aluminum foam are considered to be directly affected by the shape and distribution of these pores. In this study, we performed image-based finite element (FE) analyses of aluminum foam using X-ray computed tomography (CT) images and investigated the possibility of predicting its deformation behavior by comparing the results of FE analyses with those of actual compressive tests. We found that it was possible to create an analytic model reflecting the three-dimensional (3D) pore structure using image-based modeling based on X-ray CT images. The stress distribution obtained from image-based FE analysis correctly indicates the layer where deformation first occurs as observed in actual compressive tests. Also, by calculating the mean stress of each plane perpendicular to the direction of compression based on the stress distribution obtained from image-based FE analysis, it was found that deformation begins in the layer containing the plane with maximum stress. It was thus possible to estimate the layer where deformation begins during the compression of aluminum foam.     

Effects of strain path changes on the formability of sheet metals

The effects of a change in strain path on the deformation characteristics of aluminum-killed steel and 2036-T4 aluminum sheets have been studied. These sheets were pre-strained various amounts in balanced biaxial tension and the resulting uniaxial proper-ties and forming limits for other loading paths were determined. In comparison to uni-axial prestrain the steel was found to suffer a more rapid loss in uniform strain upon the strain path change from biaxial to uniaxial. In contrast, the uniform strain in aluminum does not drop as rapidly after the same change. In keeping with this behavior, the form-ing limit diagram of steel is found to decrease with prestrain at a much faster rate than that of aluminum. Such effects can be explained in terms of the transition flow behavior of the metals occurring upon the path change. Thus, the path change produces strain soften-ing and premature failure in steel, while causing additional strain hardening and consequent flow stabilization in aluminum. AMIT K. GHOSH, formerly with General Motors Research Laboratories     

Effect of δ alumina fibers on the aging characteristics of 2024-based metal-matrix composites

The age-hardening precipitation reaction in aluminum matrix composites reinforced with discontinuous alumina fibers was studied using the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique, microhardness tests, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. Composites fabricated with the 2024 alloy matrix were infiltrated through a ceramic preform using a squeeze-casting process. The alumina fibers had a considerable effect on the aging response of the matrix alloy in composites. Alumina fibers caused suppression of Guinier—Preston (GP) zone formation in composite that reduced the peak hardening during artificial aging. The suppression of GP zone formation in composites is believed to be due to the fiber-matrix interface, which acts as a sink for vacancies during quenching. Moreover, the presence of reinforcement does not alter the kinetics of the subsequent artificial aging of these Al₂O₃/2024Al composites.     

Processing and Mechanical Properties of Cast Al (Mg,Mn)-Al2O3 (MnO2) Composites Containing Nanoparticles and Larger Particles

The composites reinforced with nanoparticles result in improved strength and ductility while those containing coarser particles of micron size have limited ductility. The present study investigates the outcome of mechanical properties in a composite reinforced simultaneously with coarse and fine particles. High energy milling of manganese dioxide particles with excess of aluminum powder ensures that nanoparticles generated, either of MnO₂ or alumina, are mostly separate and surrounded by aluminum particles. The milled powder when added to aluminum alloy melt, the excess aluminum particles will melt leaving behind separate oxide nanoparticles without significant agglomeration. Different amounts of milled powder mix have been stirred into molten aluminum alloy where nanoparticles of MnO₂ react with melt to form alumina. The resulting slurry is cast into composites, which also contains coarser (nearly micron size) alumina particles formed by internal oxidation of the melt during processing. The microstructure of the composites shows good distribution of both the size categories of particles without significant clustering. The oxide particles are primarily γ-alumina in a matrix of aluminum-magnesium-manganese alloy containing some iron picked up from the stirrer. These composites fail during tensile test by ductile fracture due to debonding of coarser particles. The presence of nanoparticles along with coarser particles in a composite improves both strength and ductility considerably, presumably due to delay in debonding of coarser particles to higher stress because of reduced mismatch in extension caused by increased strain hardening in presence of nanoparticles in the matrix. The composites containing only coarser oxide particles show limited strength and ductility attributed to early debonding of particles at a relatively lower stress due to larger mismatch in extension between matrix and larger particles. Higher addition of powder mix beyond a limit, however, results in deterioration of mechanical properties, possibly due to clustering of nanoparticles. The present work, however, did not optimize the relative amounts of the different sized particles for achieving maximum ductility.     

An experimental and numerical study of cyclic deformation in metal-matrix composites

The cyclic stress-strain characteristics of discontinuously reinforced metal-matrix composites are studied both experimentally and numerically. The model systems used for investigation are aluminum alloys reinforced with SiC particulates and whiskers. Finite element analyses of the fatigue deformation of the composite are performed within the context of axisymmetric unit cell formulations. Two constitutive relations are used to characterize the matrix of the composite: the fully dense Mises model of an isotropically hardening elastic-viscoplastic solid and the Gurson model of a progressively cavitating elastic-viscoplastic solid (to simulate ductile matrix failure by the nucleation and growth of voids). The brittle reinforcement phase is modeled as elastic, and the interface between the ductile matrix and the reinforcement is taken to be perfectly bonded. The analyses provide insights into the effects of reinforcement shape and concentration on (1) constrained matrix deformation under cyclic loading conditions, (2) cyclic hardening and saturation, (3) the onset and progression of plastic flow and cavitation within the matrix, and (4) cyclic ductility. The numerical predictions of flow strength, strain hardening, evolution of matrix field quantities, and ductility under cyclic loading conditions are compared with those predicted for monotonic tensile deformation and with experimental observations. formerly Visiting Scientist, Division of Engineering, Brown University     

Blast Testing of Aluminum Foam–Protected Reinforced Concrete Slabs

Aluminum foam is a newly developed mobile and lightweight material with excellent energy absorption capacities. Applying aluminum foam as a sacrificial protection layer on the bearing faces of protected structures can mitigate blast effects on the resistance capacities of structures against impact or blast loading. The aluminum foam undergoes great plastic deformation under transient dynamic loads before becoming fully densified, making it excellent for mitigating blast effects on these structures. In this paper, we conducted quasi-static testing on two types of aluminum foam specimens and obtained the primary parameters for the mechanical properties of aluminum foam specimens. We then used these two types of aluminum foams to protect the reinforced concrete (RC) slabs, and we conducted a series of tests to investigate the performance of the aluminum foam–protected RC slabs against blast loads. We tested a total of five foam-protected slabs and one control RC slab in the blast test program. The test results, including displacement and acceleration histories, performance of specimens, and maximum and permanent deflections, were fully reported. We then discussed the efficiency of aluminum foam to mitigate blast loads on protected RC slabs.     

Effect of the Pore Space Structure on Deformation Energy Absorption during Compression of High-Porosity Composites. Part I. Low Hardening Stage

We discuss the effect of porosity on the plastic deformation work density for compression of a high-porosity material. We show that the strain hardening curve in the low hardening stage can be described on the basis of the principle of similarity. The dependence of the plastic deformation work density on the initial porosity in the low hardening stage is characterized by the presence of a maximum whose magnitude and position are determined by the strain hardening parameters of the solid phase and the type of pore space. We use our analysis to propose a procedure for selecting the optimum material capable of absorbing the maximum energy of plastic deformation under compressive loads.     

泡沫铝及其复合材料的研究进展

泡沫金属是一种由金属基体和气孔组成的新型结构功能材料,相对于实体金属材料,泡沫金属材料以牺牲了强度等力学性能为代价,获得了诸如热、声、能量吸收、轻质等优越性能,成为一种新型结构功能材料。泡沫铝是一种在铝基体中形成很多气孔的轻质多孔金属材料,同时兼有金属和气泡特征,它密度小、耐高温、防火性能强、抗腐蚀、隔音降噪、导热率低、电磁屏蔽性高、耐候性强、有过滤能力、渗透性好,具有良好的阻尼特性和电磁屏蔽能力,广泛应用在冶金、化工、航空航天、船舶、电子、汽车制造和建筑业等领域。对泡沫铝制备方法和物理性能的研究有利于提高其性能、扩大其应用领域,本文概述了泡沫铝的制备方法、物理性能及增强泡沫铝基复合材料的研究进展。     

Isotropic and kinematic hardening in a dispersion-strengthened aluminum alloy

The room temperature mechanical behavior of a dispersion strengthened aluminum alloy was examined in tension, compression, and in fully reversed loading. The alloy, 8009, is characterized by a high volume fraction of 50–100 nm dispersoid (25%) and 0.5 mm grain size. In tension, 8009 exhibits low strain to UTS and large post uniform elongation; in compression, near steady state deformation is observed after 2–3% strain. The Bauschinger effect was quantified as a function of prestrain in the forward direction. The experimental reverse loading curves were compared to those expected for ideal isotropic hardening and ideal K1 type kinematic hardening. The alloy exhibits nearly pure kinematic hardening of the K1 type. Based on the microstructure and the fully reversed loading behavior, the monotonic deformation behavior is explained.     

6005A与6082铝合金热变形流变行为

利用Gleeble-1500热模拟试验机对6005A和6082铝合金进行高温等温压缩试验,研究了在变形温度为450~550℃和应变速率为0.005~10 s-1条件下两种铝合金的热变形流变行为.6005A铝合金在低应变速率条件下,不同变形温度时的流变曲线均呈现波浪形特征,随着应变速率的增加,硬化和软化接近平衡,表现为稳态流变特征;在高应变速率条件下,硬化过程占据主导地位,回复和硬化过程的竞争使流变曲线呈现波浪形上升的趋势.6082铝合金在低应变速率情况下,不同变形温度时的流变曲线未出现周期性波动;在中等应变速率条件下也表现为稳态流变特征;在高应变速率条件下出现波浪形特征.两种铝合金均为正应变速率敏感材料,其热变形是受热激活控制.最后给出了铝合金热变形条件下流变应力、应变速率和变形温度三者之间的关系式.      

Measurement and analysis of plane-strain work hardening

A new technique for measurement of plane-strain work hardening has been developed which uses tensile loading and computer analysis for interpretation, and which eliminates the experimental uncertainties of large strain gradients, friction, and out-of-plane bending inherent in the usual plane-strain deformation modes. Plane-strain and tensile work-hardening curves have been measured for 2036-T4 aluminum alloy using several types of sheet specimens. The work-hardening rate in plane strain is lower than that in uniaxial tension. In each case a Voce-type empirical work hardening law represents the data well. Hill’s theories cannot account for these data because the isotropic hardening assumption is violated. A method of analysis was introduced to determine Hill’s newm parameter as a function of strain andm was found to vary from 1.6 to 2.0 in the strain range 0.02 ≤ ε ≤ 0.18.     

不锈钢典型夹杂物在轧制过程的衍变分析

不锈钢对冷板表面质量要求高,轧制过程中夹杂物是产生表面缺陷的主要原因之一。为了明确夹杂物对轧制过程表面缺陷的影响规律,通过中试模拟试验研究了热轧、退火和冷轧过程硬质镁铝尖晶石和低熔点硅酸盐2种典型夹杂物的变形特点,并采用数值模拟对冷轧过程夹杂物的变形机理进行了分析。结果表明,热轧过程高熔点的镁铝尖晶石不变形,低熔点的硅酸盐夹杂物在1 200～1 250℃热轧温度下为半熔融状态,具有良好的变形能力。硅酸盐夹杂物长宽比高、抗拉强度低,冷轧过程更容易断裂延伸,随着轧制的进行,断裂后夹杂物之间的距离逐渐增加,尺寸减小。相反,镁铝尖晶石不容易断裂、延伸,而且存在断裂延伸的临界尺寸,该临界尺寸随冷轧变形量的增加而减小。由于镁铝尖晶石容易造成不锈钢轧制缺陷,因此生产过程中应尽量避免其生成或控制其粒径。     

The large strain deformation of some aluminum alloys

The stress-strain behavior of both non-heat-treatable and heat-treatable aluminum alloys has been examined over a large strain range by a variety of deformation modes. In superpurity aluminum deformed in torsion, the work hardening rate approaches zero at strains of four to five, while a definite saturation in the flow stress is observed at much lower strains in the precipitation hardened alloys. In the non-heat-treatable alloys, a saturation in the flow stress is not approached at even very large strains. Nevertheless, the stress-strain behavior of all the alloys can be reasonably represented by a saturation type stress-strain equation. The deformation behavior of the alloys can be qualitatively understood in terms of the dislocation accumulation processes and slip morphology in the different alloys. Finally, it is shown that alloys deformed on a commercial rolling mill exhibit equivalent stress-strain behavior to that found in these laboratory deformation studies.     

Effect of temperature and strain rate on the compressive flow of aluminum composites containing submicron alumina particles

Uniaxial compression tests were conducted on aluminum composites containing 34 and 37 vol pct submicron alumina particles, to study the effect of temperature and strain rate on their flow stress. For temperatures between 25 °C and 600 °C and strain rates between 10⁻³ and 1 s⁻¹, the flow stress of the composites is significantly higher than that of unreinforced aluminum tested under similar conditions. This can be attributed to direct strengthening of the composites due to load sharing between the particles and the matrix, and an enhanced in-situ matrix flow stress resulting from a particle-induced increase in dislocation density. The composites, however, exhibit the same stress dependence on temperature and strain rate as unreinforced aluminum, indicating a common hardening mechanism, i.e., forest dislocation interactions. The forest hardening present under the explored testing conditions masks the effects of direct dispersion strengthening operative at lower deformation rates in these materials.