The effect of particulate distribution on the grain size distribution in an aluminium 2014/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} PMMC

Conference · Fri Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:143694

Ferry, M; Munroe, P R; Crosky, A ^[1]; Chandra, T ^[2]

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1. Univ. of New South Wales, Kensington (Australia). School of Materials Science and Engineering
2. Univ. of Wollongong, NSW (Australia). Dept. of Materials Engineering

Particulate reinforced metal matrix composites (PMMCs), particularly those based on heat-treatable aluminium alloys, are of increasing technological significance. Control of the matrix grain size during high temperature solution heat treatment, following deformation, is of importance in controlling the mechanical behavior of these materials. Consequently, grain growth during prolonged solution treatment at 500{degree}C was studied in both a metal matrix composite, where AA 2014 was discontinuously reinforced with alumina, and in the unreinforced alloy. Grain growth was negligible in the composite, whereas noticeable grain growth occurred in the monolithic alloy. Furthermore, it was found that grain size distribution in the composite material was closely related to the interparticulate spacing distribution of the alumina. The experimental data were compared with predictions of limiting grain size from theoretical models. Correspondence between the theoretical predictions and the experimental data for the composite was generally poor, this was attributed to the inability of current models to account for heterogeneous particle distributions.

• OSTI ID: 143694
• Report Number(s): CONF-930246--; ISBN 0-87339-251-5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM BASE ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
GRAIN SIZE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MICROSTRUCTURE