Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-qsmjn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T04:47:49.514Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Toughening mechanisms of solution-treated SiCp/6061 aluminum matrix composites fabricated via powder thixoforming

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 August 2018

Xuezheng Zhang  and
Tijun Chen
Xuezheng Zhang
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Nonferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China
Tijun Chen*
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Nonferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: chentj@lut.cn
Get access

Abstract

The powder thixoforming method was used to fabricate 10 vol% silicon carbide particle (SiCp) reinforced 6061 Al matrix composites with high mechanical performances successfully. Here, we demonstrated with proof that proper solution treatment could not only enhance tensile strength of the composite: its ultimate tensile strength and yield strength increased from 230 to 128 MPa in the as-fabricated state to 275 and 212 MPa solutionized at 808 K for 6 h but also improve composite’s tensile elongation significantly with an increment of 161.5% from 2.6% to 6.8%. Corresponding toughening mechanisms are mainly investigated from the perspective of both microstructure examination and total strain to failure calculation through a modified model. The theoretical predictions are in reasonably good agreement with the experimental data. This work may provide a practical way to alleviate the inverse strength–ductility relationship of particulate reinforced metal matrix composites and provide reference for the SF calculation of similar composites subjected to solution treatment.

Keywords

compositeductilitypowder processing
Type
Article
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 33 , Issue 18 , 28 September 2018 , pp. 2728 - 2740
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bains, P.S., Sidhu, S.S., and Payal, H.: Fabrication and machining of metal matrix composites: A review. Mater. Manuf. Processes 31, 553 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mortensen, A. and Jin, I.: Solidification processing of metal matrix composites. Int. Mater. Rev. 37, 101 (1992).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rohatgi, P., Asthana, R., and Das, S.: Solidification, structures, and properties of cast metal-ceramic particle composites. Int. Met. Rev. 31, 115 (1986).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Torralba, J.M., Costa, C.E.D., and Velasco, F.: P/M aluminum matrix composites: An overview. J. Mater. Process. Technol. 133, 203 (2003).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, P., Chen, T., and Qin, H.: Effects of pressure on microstructure and mechanical properties of SiCp/2024 Al-based composites fabricated by powder thixoforming. J. Mater. Sci. 52, 1 (2016).Google Scholar
Li, P.B., Chen, T.J., and Qin, H.: Effects of mold temperature on the microstructure and tensile properties of SiCp/2024 Al-based composites fabricated via powder thixoforming. Mater. Des. 112, 34 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, X.Z., Chen, T.J., and Qin, Y.H.: Effects of solution treatment on tensile properties and strengthening mechanisms of SiCp/6061 Al composites fabricated by powder thixoforming. Mater. Des. 99, 182 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, T.J., Qin, H., and Zhang, X.Z.: Effects of reheating duration on the microstructure and tensile properties of in situ core–shell-structured particle-reinforced A356 composites fabricated via powder thixoforming. J. Mater. Sci. 53, 2576 (2018).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Qin, Y., Chen, T., Wang, Y., Zhang, X., and Li, P.: Semisolid microstructural evolution during partial remelting of a bulk alloy prepared by cold pressing of the Ti–Al–2024Al powder mixture. Materials 9, 199 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, X., Chen, T., Qin, H., and Wang, C.: A comparative study on permanent mold cast and powder thixoforming 6061 aluminum alloy and SiCp/6061 Al composite: Microstructures and mechanical properties. Materials 9, 407 (2016).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, Y.J., Chen, T.J., Zhang, S.Q., Qin, Y.H., and Zhang, X.Z.: Effects of partial remelting on microstructure of Al–Si–Ti bulk alloy prepared by cold pressing mixed powders. Mater. Trans. 57, 1124 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, T.J., Gao, M., and Tong, Y.: Effects of alloying elements on the formation of core–shell-structured reinforcing particles during heating of Al–Ti powder compacts. Materials 11, 138 (2018).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liu, C., Qin, S., Zhang, G., and Naka, M.: Micromechanical properties of high fracture performance SiCp–6061 Al/6061 Al composite. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 332, 203 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Qu, S.J., Geng, L., Cao, G.J., and Lei, T.Q.: Fabricating a 15 vol%–3.5 μm–SiCp/Al composite by a squeeze casting technique. J. Mater. Sci. 39, 2967 (2004).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, C. and Zhang, G.: Particle shape effects on ductility of SiC particle reinforced LD2 matrix composites investigated by AFM-based nanoindentation. Chin. J. Nonferrous Metals 11, 509 (2001).Google Scholar
Lloyd, D.J.: Particle reinforced aluminium and magnesium matrix composites. Metall. Rev. 39, 1 (1994).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Song, M. and Huang, D.: Experimental and modeling of the coupled influences of variously sized particles on the tensile ductility of SiCp/Al metal matrix composites. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 38, 2127 (2007).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sharifi, E.M., Enayati, M.H., and Karimzadeh, F.: Fabrication and characterization of Al–Al4C3 nanocomposite by mechanical alloying. Int. J. Mod. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 5, 480 (2012).Google Scholar
Lu, L., Dahle, A.K., and Stjohn, D.H.: Grain refinement efficiency and mechanism of aluminium carbide in Mg–Al alloys. Scr. Mater. 53, 517 (2005).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, T.J., Ma, Y., Lv, W.B., Li, Y.D., and Hao, Y.: Grain refinement of AM60B magnesium alloy by SiC particles. J. Mater. Sci. 45, 6732 (2010).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sabirov, I., Kolednik, O., Valiev, R.Z., and Pippan, R.: Equal channel angular pressing of metal matrix composites: Effect on particle distribution and fracture toughness. Acta Mater. 53, 4919 (2005).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tzamtzis, S., Barekar, N.S., Babu, N.H., Patel, J., Dhindaw, B.K., and Fan, Z.: Processing of advanced Al/SiC particulate metal matrix composites under intensive shearing—A novel Rheo-process. Composites, Part A 40, 144 (2009).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karnezis, P.A., Durrant, G., and Cantor, B.: Characterization of reinforcement distribution in cast Al-Alloy/SiCp composites. Mater. Charact. 40, 97 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Belov, N.A., Eskin, D.G., and Aksenov, A.A.: Multicomponent Phase Diagrams: Applications for Commercial Aluminum Alloys (Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2005).Google Scholar
Wang, Z., Tan, J., Sun, B.A., Scudino, S., Prashanth, K.G., Zhang, W.W., Li, Y.Y., and Eckert, J.: Fabrication and mechanical properties of Al-based metal matrix composites reinforced with Mg65Cu20Zn5Y10 metallic glass particles. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 600, 53 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wu, W., Guo, B., Xue, Y., Shen, R., Ni, S., and Song, M.: Ni–AlxNiy core–shell structured particle reinforced Al-based composites fabricated by in-situ powder metallurgy technique. Mater. Chem. Phys. 160, 352 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xue, Y., Shen, R., Ni, S., Song, M., and Xiao, D.: Fabrication, microstructure and mechanical properties of Al–Fe intermetallic particle reinforced Al-based composites. J. Alloys Compd. 618, 537 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, J.C., Lee, H.I., Ahn, J.P., Shim, J.H., and Shi, Z.: Methodology to design the interfaces in SiC/Al composites. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 32, 1541 (2001).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, J-C., Byun, J-Y., Park, S-B., and Lee, H-I.: Prediction of Si contents to suppress the formation of Al4C3 in the SiCp/Al composite. Acta Mater. 46, 1771 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cai, S., Chen, T., and Zhang, X.: Effect of remelting duration on microstructure and properties of SiCp/Al composite fabricated by powder-thixoforming for electronic packaging. Metals 6, 311 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitra, R., Rao, V.S.C., Maiti, R., and Chakraborty, M.: Stability and response to rolling of the interfaces in cast Al–SiCp and Al–Mg alloy–SiCp composites. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 379, 391 (2004).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
El-Sabbagh, A., Soliman, M., Taha, M., and Palkowski, H.: Hot rolling behaviour of stir-cast Al 6061 and Al 6082 alloys–SiC fine particulates reinforced composites. J. Mater. Process. Technol. 212, 497 (2012).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lloyd, D.J., Lagace, H., Mcleod, A., and Morris, P.L.: Microstructural aspects of aluminium–silicon carbide particulate composites produced by a casting method. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 107, 73 (1989).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shi, Z., Yang, J.M., Lee, J.C., Zhang, D., Lee, H.I., and Wu, R.: The interfacial characterization of oxidized SiC(p)/2014 Al composites. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 303, 46 (2001).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tong, X.C.: Fabrication of in situ TiC reinforced aluminum matrix composites part I: Microstructural characterization. J. Mater. Sci. 33, 5365 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Majumdar, B.S. and Pandey, A.B.: Deformation and fracture of a particle-reinforced aluminum alloy composite: Part II. Modeling. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 31, 937 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geni, M. and Kikuchi, M.: Damage analysis of aluminum matrix composite considering non-uniform distribution of SiC particles. Mech. Eng. 46, 3125 (2002).Google Scholar
Boostani, A.F., Mousavian, R.T., Tahamtan, S., Yazdani, S., Khosroshahi, R.A., Wei, D., Xu, J.Z., Gong, D., Zhang, X.M., and Jiang, Z.Y.: Graphene sheets encapsulating SiC nanoparticles: A roadmap towards enhancing tensile ductility of metal matrix composites. Mater. Sci. Eng., A 648, 92 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rogers, A.: Statistical Analysis of Spatial Dispersion: The Quadrat Method (Pion, London, 1974).Google Scholar
Pineau, A., Benzerga, A.A., and Pardoen, T.: Failure of metals I: Brittle and ductile fracture. Acta Mater. 107, 424 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, S., Chen, T., Cheng, F., and Li, P.: A comparative characterization of the microstructures and tensile properties of as-cast and thixoforged in situ AM60B-10 vol% Mg2Sip composite and thixoforged AM60B. Metals 5, 457 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chawla, N., Jones, J.W., Andres, C., and Allison, J.E.: Effect of SiC volume fraction and particle size on the fatigue resistance of a 2080 Al/SiCp composite. Metall. Mater. Trans. A 29, 2843 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, K.H., Ling, F., Xia, L.I., Huang, D.W., and Fang, H.C.: Influence of particle failure on strength of SiCp/Al composites. J. Cent. South Univ. 39, 493 (2008).Google Scholar
Tanaka, K., Mori, T., and Nakamura, T.: Cavity formation at the interface of a spherical inclusion in a plastically deformed matrix. Philos. Mag. 21, 267 (1970).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evensen, J.D. and Verk, A.S.: The influence of particle cracking on the fracture strain of some AlSi-alloys. Scr. Metall. 15, 1131 (1981).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mcmeeking, R.M.: Finite deformation analysis of crack-tip opening in elastic-plastic materials and implications for fracture. Scr. Metall. 25, 357 (1976).Google Scholar
Brown, L.M. and Embury, J.D.: The microstructure and design of alloys. In Proceedings of the Third International Conference on the Strength of Metals and Alloys (The Institute of Metals, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1973); p. 164–168.Google Scholar