The Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of Silicon Carbide Particles Reinforced Aluminun Metal Matrix Composites

SiC 입자 보강 Al 복합재료의 피로균열 진전거동

The research trends for metal matrix composites have been on basic mechanical properties, fatigue behavior after aging and fractographic observations. In this study, the fatigue crack initiation as well as the fatigue crack growth behavior and the fracture mechanism were investigated through observations of the fracture surface on silicon carbide particles reinforced aluminum metal matrix composites(SiCp/Al). Based on the fractographic study done by scanning electron microscope and replica, crack growth path model and fracture mechanism are presented. The mechanical properties, such as the tensile strength, yield strength and elongation of SiCp/Al composites are improved in a longitudinal direction, however, the fatigue life is shorter than the basic Al6061 alloys. From fractographic observations, it is found that the failure mode is ductile in basic Ai6061 alloys. And because some SiC particles were pulled out from the matrix and a few SiC particles could be seen on the fracture surface of SiCp/Al, crack growth paths are believed to follow the interface of the matrix and its particles.