Tensile and fatigue response of alumina-fiber-reinforced aluminum matrix composite

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Vol. 341; no. 1; pp. 9 - 17
• Main Authors: Zhang, Wenlong, Gu, Mingyuan, Chen, Jiayi, Wu, Zhengan, Zhang, Fan, Deve, Herve E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 20.01.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alumina-fiber; Aluminum matrix composite; Applied sciences; Damage mechanisms; Exact sciences and technology; Fatigue; Fractures; Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metals. Metallurgy; Tension; Alumina-fiber; Fatigue; Tension; Aluminum matrix composite; Damage mechanisms; Aluminium oxide; Fatigue life; Scanning electron microscopy; Fibre reinforced metal; Metal matrix composite; Aluminium; Tensile property; Fatigue limit; Experimental study; Fatigue fracture; Composite material; Tensile strength; Surface; Fatigue strength; Microstructure; Fractography; Fracture mode; Crack initiation; Damaging
• ISSN: 0921-5093; 1873-4936
• DOI: 10.1016/S0921-5093(02)00208-3

The tensile and fatigue behavior of an alumina-fiber-reinforced pure aluminum matrix composite was investigated. The S–N curve was determined under tension–tension loading. The fracture surfaces and microstructures of test samples were examined to understand the fatigue damage mechanisms of the composite. The composite revealed a high tensile strength and high fatigue resistance attributed to a damage tolerant behavior. The monotonic tensile strength was 1400–1500 MPa while the endurance limit with an R ratio of 0.1 was 750 MPa. The fatigue damage mode was strongly dependent on applied stresses. At high stresses, the fatigue life was controlled essentially by the initiation and growth of a single crack, and the composite behaved in a damage-intolerant manner. At low stresses, the fatigue life was mainly controlled by the initiation and growth of longitudinal surface splitting. This lead to damage-tolerant behavior. At intermediate stress levels, a transformation in fatigue damage mode could evolve from the surface splitting and distributed matrix cracking to the growth of a single matrix crack.