Description
Abstract: This work evaluates the effect of warm temperature (170-280oC) uniaxial compression on the deformation behaviour of SiC reinforced Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs). Green and sintered compacts (d=8mm, h=12mm) were produced by blending 2124-Al with SiC (10 or 15 vol. %) powders in a high energy ball mill, cold (i.e. ambient temperature) compaction and sintering at 490oC for 1hr. Warm temperature uniaxial compression tests were performed on a Gleeble 3500® at strain rates of 0.01s-1 and 5s-1 and constant strain of 0.3.
Engineering stress-strain curves showed that deformation behaviour of SiC reinforced MMCs improved significantly when sintered MMC compacts were uniaxially compressed at 280oC and strain rate of 5s-1 using a soaking time of 20min. The best deformation (i.e. good ductility; shown by large plastic region and high flow stress) was achieved in the 2124-Al with 10%SiC MMC because it plastically deformed at the highest stress (~153MPa) up to the maximum strain of 0.3.
Authors: Zizo Gxowa, Lesley H. Chown, and Gonasagren Govender
Keywords: Warm Working, Uniaxial Compression, Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs)