CORROSION FATIGUE FRACTURE BEHAVIOUR OF A SiC WHISKERALUMINIUM MATRIX COMPOSITE UNDER COMBINED TENSIONTORSION LOADING

We describe an investigation into the fatigue fracture behaviour under combined tension–torsion loading of a SiC whisker-reinforced A6061 aluminium alloy fabricated by a squeeze casting process. Special attention was paid to the environmental effects on fatigue fracture behaviour. Tests were conducted on both the composite and its unreinforced matrix material, A6061-T6, under load-controlled conditions with a constant value of the combined stress ratio, α = τ_max /σ_max in laboratory air or in a 3.5% NaCl solution at the free corrosion potential. The corrosion fatigue strength of both the matrix and composite was less in the solution than in air. The dominating mechanical factor that determined the fatigue strength in air was either the maximum principal stress or the von Mises-type equivalent stress, depending on the combined stress ratio. However, in the 3.5% NaCl solution, the corrosion fatigue strength of both materials was determined by the maximum principal stress, irrespective of the combined stress ratio. In the case of the matrix material, crack initiation occurred by a brittle facet normal to the principal stress due to hydrogen embrittlement. However, in the composite material, the crack was initiated not at the brittle facet, but at a corrosion pit formed on the specimen surface. At the bottom of the pit, a crack normal to the principal stress was nucleated and propagated, resulting in final failure. Pitting corrosion was nucleated at an early stage of fatigue life, i.e. about 1% of total fatigue life. However, crack initiation at the bottom of a pit was close to the terminal stage, i.e. about 70% or more of total fatigue life. The dominating factor which determined crack initiation at a pit was the Mode I stress intensity factor obtained by assuming the pit to be a sharp crack. Initiation and propagation due to pitting corrosion and crack growth were closely examined, and the fatigue fracture mechanisms and influence of the 3.5% NaCl solution on fatigue strength of the composite and matrix under combined tension–torsion loading were examined in detail.     

A MODEL TO PREDICT THE FATIGUE LIFE OF FIBRE-REINFORCED TITANIUM MATRIX COMPOSITES UNDER CONSTANT AMPLITUDE LOADING

A model based on micro-mechanical concepts has been developed for predicting fatigue crack growth in titanium alloy matrix composites. In terms of the model, the crack system is composed of three zones: the crack, the plastic zone and the fibre. Crack tip plasticity is constrained by the fibres and remains so until certain conditions are met. The condition for crack propagation is that fibre constraint is overcome when the stress at the location of the fibre ahead of the crack tip attains a critical level required for debonding. Crack tip plasticity then increases and the crack is able to propagate round the fibre. The debonding stress is calculated using the shear lag model from values of interfacial shear strength and embedded fibre length published in the literature. If the fibres in the crack wake remain unbroken, friction stresses on the crack flanks are generated, as a result of the matrix sliding along the fibres. The friction stresses (known as the bridging effect) shield the crack tip from the remote stress, reducing the crack growth relative to that of the matrix alone. The bridging stress is calculated by adding together the friction stresses, at each fibre row bridging the crack, which are assumed to be a function of crack opening displacement and sliding distance at each row. The friction stresses at each fibre row will increase as the crack propagates further until a critical level for fibre failure is reached. Fibre failure is modelled through Weibull statistics and published experimental results. Fibre failure will reduce the bridging effect and increase the crack propagation rate. Calculated fatigue lives and crack propagation rates are compared with experimental results for three different materials (32% SCS6/Ti-15-3, 32% and 38% SCS6/Ti-6-4) subjected to mode I fatigue loading. The good agreement shown by these comparisons demonstrates the applicability of the model to predict the fatigue damage in Ti-based MMCs.     

A FIBRE STRESS-BASED PARAMETER FOR THERMOMECHANICAL FATIGUE LIFE PREDICTIONS OF TITANIUM MATRIX COMPOSITES

Titanium Matrix Composites (TMCs) are envisioned for use in the next generation of advanced aircraft and their engines. To ensure a smooth transition to industry, fatigue life prediction methodologies, which can account for random variations in mechanical and thermal loads, must be developed. To facilitate the development of such a model, fatigue testing has been conducted at Georgia Tech. on [0/ ± 45/90]_s and [90/ ± 45/0]_s laminates of SCS-6/Timetal 21S. The tests were done at temperatures of 400, 500 and 650 °C, with hold times of 1, 10 and 100 s superimposed at the maximum stress. The purpose of the tests was to separate the effect of time-dependent deformation from the effect of environmental degradation. Using the results of these tests, and results generated at NASA–Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and the US Air Force’s Wright Laboratory, a model has been developed which is based on the stress in the load-carrying fibres. The stress is modified by an effective stress concentration factor that is due to matrix cracking and a factor that includes the effect of hold times. It is a single term model that is intended for treating any variations in mechanical and thermal loads. Verification of this model is achieved by predicting fatigue lives for specimens subjected to spectrum loads performed at NASA–Langley Research Center (LaRC) and vacuum tests completed at Georgia Tech. The model is compared to five methodologies previously developed for life prediction, and is shown to have significantly better predictive power while reducing the number of empirical constants and curve fitting parameters necessary to collapse the data.     

SiCp／6061Al复合材料基体相及增强相的实际外载应力

采用Ｘ射线应力分析技术测定ＳｉＣ颗粒体积分数为２０％的ＳｉＣｐ／６０６１Ａｌ复合材料由外加载荷作用而产生的基体铝合金相的实际外载应力，据此计算增强相的实际外载应力，结果表明，基体铝合金的相的实际外载应力为平均外载应力的７５．９％，而增强相的实际外载应力为平均外载应力的１９６．６％，两相性模量的差异是造成这种现象的主要原因。     

SiC_p／6061A1复合材料基体相及增强相的实际外载应力

采用Ｘ射线应力分析技术测定ＳｉＣ颗粒体积分数为２０％的ＳｉＣｐ／６０６１Ａｌ复合材料由外加载荷作用而产生的基体铝合金相的实际外载应力，据此计算增强相的实际外载应力．结果表明，基体铝合金相的实际外载应力为平均外载应力的７５．９％，而增强相的实际外载应力为平均外载应力的１９６．６％两相弹性模量的差异是造成这种现象的主要原因     

EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE, CYCLIC FREQUENCY AND ENVIRONMENT ON FIBRE DEGRADATION AND FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH RESISTANCE IN A FIBRE-REINFORCED TITANIUM METAL-MATRIX COMPOSITE UNDER DISPLACEMENT-RANGE LOADING

The fatigue crack growth resistance of a [0/90°]_2s cross-ply SCS6 fibre-reinforced Ti–6Al–4V alloy metal-matrix composite has been assessed under displacement range control (i.e. under load shedding conditions with crack extension) to investigate potential fibre degradation and the process of crack extension at room temperature, and at 450°C, in air and in vacuum. Attention is focused on initial conditions that will promote crack arrest at room temperature. Under the test conditions employed here, regions of crack growth can occur where the applied nominal stress intensity factor range (ΔK) is relatively constant. This 'constant'ΔK range is the result of a fortuitous balance between the particular test-piece geometry, loading conditions utilized, matrix crack growth and the rate of fibre fracture. It allows the influence of environment, cyclic frequency and temperature on fatigue crack growth resistance to be analysed more easily than for tests carried out under load control.
The crack growth rate remained almost constant but with some steep local retardations in growth rate in the constant ΔK region at a temperature of 450°C, while crack arrest occurred at room temperature for the same initial ΔK. The average crack propagation rate in this 'constant ΔK region' at a temperature of 450°C in air was much greater than that at a temperature of 450°C in vacuum. This indicates that environment plays an important role in the process of fibre degradation. The effect of cyclic frequency is saturated at a frequency of less than 1  Hz. The process of crack growth at various frequencies is also discussed.     

K2O·8TiO2W/ZL109复合材料的制备、性能以及界面结构

本文采用挤压铸造方法制备出钛酸钾晶须增强ZL109复合材料(K₂O·8TiO_2w/ZL109 composite),该复合材料的室温和300℃下的抗拉强度与基体金属相当,而在200℃下的抗拉强度却大大高于基体金属。作者用高分辨率透射电镜对该复合材料进行了研究。发现在晶须与铝之间存在着TiO过渡层。