Microscopic characteristics of fatigue crack propagation in aluminum alloy based particulate reinforced metal matrix composites

Microscopic characteristics of fatigue crack propagation in two aluminum alloy (A356 and 6061) based particulate reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) were investigated by carrying out three point bending fatigue tests. The impedance offered by the reinforcing particles against fatigue crack propagation has been studied by plotting the nominal and actual crack lengths vs number of cycles. Surface observation shows that fatigue cracks tend to develop along the particle-matrix interface. In the case of Al (A356) MMCs, stronger interaction of fatigue crack with Si particles, as compared to SiC particles, was evident. In both MMC materials, particle debonding was more prominent as compared to particle cracking. The attempted application of Davidson's model to calculate ΔK_th indicated that for cast MMCs the matrix grain including the surrounding reinforcing particles has to be considered as a large “hard particle”, and the grain boundary particles themselves behave like an hard “egg-shell” to strengthen the material.     

Creep behavior of fiber reinforced metal matrix composites

A theoretical model of the creep behavior of metal matrix composites having strong fiber-matrix interfaces is described in terms of creep parameters of the matrix and fibers. The available experimental data, obtained from the unidirectionally solidified aluminum-nickel eutectic containing 10 vol pct Al₃Ni fibers, are in good agreement with the theoretical model. The creep activation energy of the composite is described in terms of the creep activation energy of fibers and the matrix. The experimentally de-termined data of (Co, Cr)-(Co, Cr)₇C₃ and Al-Al₃Ni eutectics are in agreement with those values as predicted.     

Creep behavior of fiber reinforced metal matrix composites

A theoretical model of the creep behavior of metal matrix composites having strong fiber-matrix interfaces is described in terms of creep parameters of the matrix and fibers. The available experimental data, obtained from the unidirectionally solidified aluminum-nickel eutectic containing 10 vol pct Al₃Ni fibers, are in good agreement with the theoretical model. The creep activation energy of the composite is described in terms of the creep activation energy of fibers and the matrix. The experimentally de-termined data of (Co, Cr)-(Co, Cr)₇C₃ and Al-Al₃Ni eutectics are in agreement with those values as predicted. Formerly a Visiting Scholar, Materials Department, University of California, Los Angeles.     

非连续相混杂增强金属基复合材料的研究进展

论述了非连续增强金属基复合材料的研究概况,简要介绍了非连续相混杂增强金属基复合材料常用的几种制备方法,包括搅拌熔铸法、压力铸造法、无压浸渗法、喷射沉积法、粉末冶金法、原位反应法等,同时对常见的3种增强体的混杂类型:颗粒+颗粒、短纤维+晶须(短纤维)、颗粒+晶须(短纤维)增强金属基复合材料的性能和国内外研究现状进行了综述,指出了非连续相混杂增强金属基复合材料存在的问题,并对其今后的发展进行了展望。     

Fiber fracture during the consolidation of metal matrix composites

A detailed study of conditions leading to fiber fracture during the consolidation of Ti14wt%Al21wt%Nb/SiC (SCS-6) composite monotapes has been conducted. For this continuous fiber reinforced composite system, the incidence of fracture increases with consolidation rate at higher process temperatures. Increasing consolidation temperature at a fixed pressure reduces the number of breaks per unit length of fiber. Examination of partially densified compacts has revealed the existence of significant fiber bending and ultimately fracture due to monotape surface roughness (asperities) which places the fibers in three point bending. A representative volume element has been defined for the consolidating lay-up and its response analyzed to predict the fiber deflection (and hence probability of failure) when the surface asperities deform either by plasticity or by steady state creep. The relationships between fiber fracture and process conditions predicted using the volume element are similar to those observed experimentally. The cell analysis suggests that fiber fracture is decreased by increases in fiber stiffness, strength, and diameter and by decreases in matrix yield and creep strength and monotape surface roughness.     

SiC颗粒增强铝基复合材料的制备工艺和性能研究

采用粉末冶金法制备SiCp/6061Al复合材料,研究热压温度、球磨工艺参数和SiC颗粒(SiCp)体积分数对SiC颗粒增强铝基复合材料性能的影响,测试其力学性能及物理性能,用扫描电镜对材料的微观组织和断口进行观察。结果表明:540℃是较适合的热压温度;随着SiCp含量的增加,复合材料的致密度、热膨胀系数下降,抗拉强度先提高后迅速降低。     

激光熔覆陶瓷颗粒增强金属基复合材料研究进展

陶瓷增强金属基复合材料(MMCs)因其优异的耐磨性、韧性、高温蠕变性能和疲劳强度,已被广泛应用于生物医学、航空航天、电子等高端工程行业。激光熔覆是在基体表面,利用激光束使陶瓷及其他特殊粉末与基体表层融化,并自激冷却形成冶金结合涂层的环保新技术,具有沉积效率高、厚度可控、热变形小、冷却快、稀释率小以及冶金结合等优点。本文介绍了激光熔覆陶瓷颗粒的形成方式对MMCs性能的影响,随后讨论了激光熔覆辅助能场及高速激光熔覆技术对MMCs的界面强化效应,并分析了陶瓷颗粒的强化机制和激光辅助能场的作用机制。最后,对目前激光熔覆陶瓷颗粒增强基金属复合材料研究的发展进行了展望。     

The deformation of particle reinforced metal matrix composites during temperature cycling

Superplasticity during temperature cycling of particle reinforced metal matrix composites has been studied over a range of reinforcement sizes and volume fractions. Above a critical volume and thermal cycle amplitude, the mean strain per cycle is proportional to stress and approximately proportional to cycle amplitude. For a given thermal cycle the constant of proportionality with respect to stress increases with reinforcement fraction to a maximum at around 30%; it then decreases with further increase in reinforcement. Transmission electron microscopy revealed no characteristics dislocation substructure; even after 90% strain the material was indistinguishable from its undeformed state. The experimental results confirm an internal plastic flow model for the phenomenon rather than an enhanced creep. A model of the process derived from the Lévy-Von Mises equations predicts both the effect of thermal cycle amplitude the MMC microstructure on the enhanced creep rate.     

Cavity formation during tensile straining of particulate and short fibre metal matrix composites

The formation of cavities in commercially pure aluminium composites, made by both powder and casting routes and reinforced with alumina (short fibres, angular particles and spherical particles), has been monitored using periodic density measurements during tensile testing and microstructural examinations. Stable cavities always form well before final failure, usually adjacent to the reinforcement, particularly when it is elongated in the loading direction and has a relatively flat surface normal to the stress axis. Sharp corners are not favoured cavitation sites and cavities can form at spherical particles, although the incidence is somewhat less than for angular particles. Cavitation occurred earlier for higher reinforcement contents and with powder-route, as opposed to cast, material, although the void contents and composite strains at failure were similar. A simple geometrical model is proposed, allowing prediction of the failure strain as a function of the reinforcement content, aspect ratio and strain to failure of the unreinforced matrix. The data presented are in good agreement with predictions from this model.     

颗粒增强型铁基粉末冶金材料的研究现状

介绍了颗粒增强铁基粉末冶金材料的特点及主要制备工艺,列举了几种有代表性的颗粒增 强铁基粉末冶金材料,并探讨了颗粒增强铁基粉末冶金材料的增强原理,展望了其应用前景。     

Residual stresses in silicon carbide particulate reinforced aluminum composites

In metal matrix composites (MMCs) residual stresses are unavoidable during cooling from high temperature in fabrication or heat treatment because of the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between the matrix and the reinforcement. In particle reinforced MMC the residual stresses have been proved to be hydrostatic in this study by both experiments and mathematical analysis. A very slight surface effect on the measured stresses was predicted in the case Cu Kα radiation was used. The residual stresses were determined to be tensile in the Al matrix and compressive in the reinforcement. A reduction in residual stress magnitudes of both the matrix and reinforcement was observed after the sample was cooled into liquid nitrogen and heated back to room temperature, which is believed to be caused by plastic deformation of the matrix in low temperature treatment.     

Transverse strength of metal matrix composites reinforced with strongly bonded continuous fibers in regular arrangements

The composite limit flow stress for transverse loading of metal matrix composites reinforced with a regular array of uniform continuous fibers is calculated using the finite element method. The effects of volume fraction and matrix work hardening are investigated for fibers of circular cross section distributed in both sqyare and hexagonal arrangements. The hexagonal arrangement is seen to behave isotropically with respect to the limit stress, whereas the square arrangement of fibers results in a composite which is much stronger when loaded in the direction of nearest neighbors and weak when loaded at 45° to this direction. The interference of fibers with flow planes is seen to play an important role in the strengthening mechanism. The influence of matrix hardening as a strengthening mechanism in these composites increases with volume fraction due to increasing fiber interaction. The results for a power law hardening matrix are also applicable to the steady state creep for these composites. The influence of volume fraction on failure parameters in these composites is addressed. Large increases in the maximum values of hydrostatic tension, equivalent plastic stain, and tensile stress normal to the fiber-matrix interface are seen to accompany large increases in composite strength.     

A computer simulation on tensile strength of metal matrix composites reinforced with surface-Damaged fibers

The tensile behavior and strength of metal matrix composites reinforced with surface-damaged fibers was studied by means of the computer simulation technique. The simulation experiments were carried out for various combinations of the factors such as average flaw size, scatter of flaw size, and density of flaws for both cases of strong and weak interfacial bonding strengths. It was demonstrated that the strength of composite is reduced with increasing these factors for both cases, especially for the case of weak interfacial bonding strength.     

Mechanical behavior of cast particulate SiC/AI (A356) metal matrix composites

Mechanical tests were carried out to study the deformation behavior of particulate SiC-reinforced Al (A356) matrix composites produced through direct casting using the molten metal mixing method. The matrix alloy-Al (A356) was also tested as a control material for comparison. The elastic constant and yield strength of the composite material were found higher than those of the control alloy, but the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and the ductility were lower. The Tsai-Halpin equation was found applicable for calculating the elastic constant if an average particle aspect ratio could be determined. The strain-hardening behavior of the tested composite material appeared very different from that of the control alloy. The high strain-hardening rate in the early stage of plastic deformation of the composite was rationalized by the interaction between the hard particles and the ductile metal matrix; on the other hand, the low hardening rate recorded from intermediate strain amplitude to fracture was attributed to the early coalescence of voids and other microdamages. Particle-matrix interface debonding, particle cracking, and void for-mation in the metal matrix were considered to be responsible for the low ductility. Deformation asymmetry of the composites was noticed, not only through the Bauschinger effect, but also through the difference in virgin specimens’ yield stresses in tension and compression.