EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATIONS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE ALUMINUM -SILICON CARBIDE PARTICLES (SICP) METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE

Stresses induced due to thermal mismatch between t he metal matrix and the ceramic reinforcement in metal matrix composite may impart plastic deformation to the matrix there by resulting in a reduction of the residual stresses. Thermal mismatch strains also may quite often crack the matrix resulting in a relaxation of the residua l stresses. The interface in MMCs is a porous, non- crystalline portion in comparison with the matrix o r the reinforcement (metal matrix and ceramic reinforcement in this case). Therefore residual stresses are readily released at the porous and non- crystalline interface as a result of which when particle density is high, i.e. in regions which are particle starved, meaning the availability of the interface is limited, particle fracturing is predominating. In the present investigation ring-sh aped Al-SiCp MMCs are fabricated in the solid state processing route.