Effect of Particle Size on Mechanical Properties and Fracture Behaviors of Age-Hardening SiC/Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Composites

doi:10.1007/s40195-021-01254-w

Abstract

Abstract:

15 vol.% SiC/Al-6.5Zn-2.8 Mg-1.7Cu (wt%) composites with varying particle sizes (3.5, 7.0, 14 and 20 μm), i.e., C-3.5, C-7.0, C-14, and C-20, respectively, were fabricated by powder metallurgy (PM) method and subjected to microstructural examination. The effect of particle size on mechanical properties and fracture behaviors of the T6-treated composites was revealed and analyzed in detail. Element distribution and precipitates variations in the composites with varying particle sizes were emphatically considered. Results indicated that both tensile strength and plasticity of the T6-treated composites increased first and then decreased with particle size decreasing. The C-7.0 composite simultaneously exhibited the highest ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 686 MPa and best elongation (El.) of 3.1%. The smaller-sized SiC particle would introduce more oxide impurities, which would react with the alloying element in the matrix to cause Mg segregation and depletion. According to strengthening mechanism analysis, the weakening of precipitation strengthening in the T6-treated C-3.5 composite was the main cause of the lower tensile strength. Additionally, the larger SiC particle, the more likely to fracture, especially in the composites with high yield strength. For the T6-treated C-20 composites, more than 75% SiC particles were broken up, resulting in the lowest plasticity. As decreasing particle size, the fracture behaviors of the T6-treated composites would change from particle fracture to matrix alloy fracture gradually.

Key words: Metal matrix composites, Mechanical properties, Particle size, Fracture behaviors, Strengthening mechanisms

Guonan Ma, Dong Wang, Bolv Xiao, Zongyi Ma. Effect of Particle Size on Mechanical Properties and Fracture Behaviors of Age-Hardening SiC/Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Composites[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2021, 34(10): 1447-1459.

Figures/Tables 14

Fig. 1 XRD patterns of a as-received SiC particles and b as-extruded SiC/Al-Zn-Mg-Cu composites with varying particle sizes

Table 1 Measured density and relative density of the as-extruded composites

Materials	Measured density (g^.cm^-3)	Theoretical density (g^.cm^-3)	Relative density (%)
C-3.5	2.864	2.864	100.00
C-7.0	2.862		99.93
C-14	2.862		99.93
C-20	2.861		99.90

Fig. 2 OM images and grain size statistic plots of a, b C-20, c, d C-14, e, f C-7.0, g, h C-3.5 composites under T6-treated condition

Fig. 3 Elemental maps of a-d C-20, e-h C-14, i-l C-7.0, m-p C-3.5 composites under T6-treated condition

Table 2 Chemical compositions in the matrix region of the SiC/Al-Zn-Mg-Cu composites with varying particle sizes determined by WDS (wt%)

Materials	Al	Zn	Mg	Cu
C-20	89.5 \(\pm\) 0.4	6.5 \(\pm\) 0.1	2.2 \(\pm\) 0.1	1.8 \(\pm\) 0.1
C-14	89.4 \(\pm\) 0.5	6.5 \(\pm\) 0.1	2.4 \(\pm\) 0.2	1.7 \(\pm\) 0.1
C-7.0	89.7 \(\pm\) 0.4	6.5 \(\pm\) 0.1	2.1 \(\pm\) 0.2	1.7 \(\pm\) 0.1
C-3.5	90.4 \(\pm\) 0.5	6.6 \(\pm\) 0.2	1.4 \(\pm\) 0.1	1.6 \(\pm\) 0.1

Fig. 4 Relationships between equilibrium phase components and Mg content in the composite with constant Zn and Cu contents

Fig. 5 Bright-field TEM images of a C-20, b C-14, c C-7.0, d C-3.5 under T6-treated condition taken along [110] Al zone axis, and e spatial distribution schematic diagram of precipitated phase

Fig. 6 Microstructures of the T6-treated C-3.5 composite: a dislocations adjacent to the SiC particle and b,c SiC/Al interface reaction layer; d,e the enlarge views of white rectangles in c; f,g FFT images of d,e, respectively

Fig. 7 Stress-strain curves of the SiC/Al-Zn-Mg-Cu composites under a T6-treated and b annealed condition

Table 3 Tensile properties of the SiC/Al-Zn-Mg-Cu composites under T6-treated and annealed conditions

Materials	T6 treated			Annealing treated
Materials	YS (MPa)	UTS (MPa)	El. (%)	YS (MPa)	UTS (MPa)	El. (%)
C-3.5	583 \(\pm\) 4	652 \(\pm\) 4	2.3 \(\pm\) 0.1	165 \(\pm\) 2	299 \(\pm\) 1	6.5 \(\pm\) 0.1
C-7.0	618 \(\pm\) 1	686 \(\pm\) 1	3.1 \(\pm\) 0.2	135 \(\pm\) 1	260 \(\pm\) 2	8.1 \(\pm\) 0.5
C-14	616 \(\pm\) 3	657 \(\pm\) 5	2.9 \(\pm\) 0.2	120 \(\pm\) 2	240 \(\pm\) 1	10.2 \(\pm\) 0.3
C-20	602 \(\pm\) 1	629 \(\pm\) 1	1.4 \(\pm\) 0.2	110 \(\pm\) 1	229 \(\pm\) 1	9.2 \(\pm\) 0.1

Fig. 8 Fractographs of a C-20, b C-14, c C-7.0, d C-3.5 composites under annealed condition

Fig. 9 Statistic bar diagram of SiC particle failure modes in the annealed composites

Fig. 10 Fractographs of a C-20, b C-14, c C-7.0, d C-3.5 under T6-treated condition

Fig. 11 Statistic bar diagram of SiC particle failure modes in the T6-treated composites

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