An ultra-micro indentation investigation of aspects of the fracture process in particulate reinforced metal matrix composites

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0956-716X(94)90147-3· OSTI ID:7174411

Leggoe, J W; Hu, X Z; Bush, M B ^[1]; Swain, M V ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Western Australia, Nedlands (Australia). Dept. of Mechanical and Materials Engineering
2. CSIRO, Lindfield, New South Wales (Australia). National Measurement Lab.

The technology now available for the control and precision measurement of force and displacement allows investigation of the micro-mechanical properties of materials using ultra-micro indentation. Ultra-micro indentation uses pyramidal or very small radius (typically 5--50 [mu]m) spherical diamond indentors, with indentation load vs penetration being accurately measured for loads to 1,000 mN and penetrations to 4,000 nm. Analysis of the contact response with both pyramid and spherical indentors provides considerably more information about a material than traditional microhardness testing; the hardness, elastic modules and (with spherical indentation) stress-strain response of a material can be determined. Such equipment is already used for fiber push-out investigations of the strength of the fiber/matrix interface in fiber reinforced composites. Ultra-micro indentation allows investigation of the response of the matrix, individual reinforcement particles and the interfacial region to indentation, providing information for prediction of the dominant fracture mode in a PR MMC system. The present article reports on an investigation of the fracture properties of two aluminium alloy based PR MMCs conducted using ultra-micro indentation. The experiments undertaken provided: (1) comparison of the hardness of the matrix in an Al 6061/Micral[trademark] PR MMC and that of monolithic Al 6061; (2) information on the response of particles in Al 359/SiC and Al 6061/Micral PR MMCs to indentation; and (3) information on the response of the particle/matrix interface in an Al359/SiC PR MMC to loading.

• OSTI ID: 7174411
• Journal Information: Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia; (United States), Journal Name: Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia; (United States) Vol. 31:5; ISSN SCRMEX; ISSN 0956-716X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603* -- Materials-- Properties
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM BASE ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICAL TESTS
MINERALS
MULLITE
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SILICON CARBIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
TESTING