Materials Science Forum, Vol.416-4, 219-225, 2003
Mechanical behavior of Al-Mg-Si alloys reinforced with ceramic and intermetallic particles
Aluminum Matrix Composites (AMCs) reinforced with ceramic and Ti-Al intermetallic particles were prepared in the laboratory by following a powder metallurgy route. Hot extrusion was used as consolidation processes. Different studies were carried out in the composites developed. The influence of production process was also estimated. To evaluate interfaces and possible reaction products between the matrix and reinforcement, heat treatments regarding time were carried out. Tests were developed in fabricated AMCs and in unreinforced aluminum matrix, to evaluate influence of reinforcement type. In this study, optical and scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis, were used to determine the possible reaction products in the matrix/reinforcement interface and its composition. Ultimate strength and strain to failure were studied. There were performed tests at room temperature and at high temperature of the material in different precipitation state. The type of damage was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Ultimate strength trends to grow with reinforcement addition in both T1 and T6 conditions for low temperature. Strain to failure remains the lowest on T6 state. The effect of reinforcement addition decrease for high temperature testing and matrix influence was demonstrated.
Keywords:aluminum alloy;intermetallic particles;ceramic particles;AMCs;heat treatments;tensile testing