Paper number 460

HIGH STRAIN RATE PROPERTIES OF AN ALUMINA DISPERSION REINFORCED COMPOSITE

I. W. Hall¹ and M. Guden²

1Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
2Izmir Yuksek Teknoloji Enstitusu
Gaziosmanpasa Bulvari No.16, Cankaya, Izmir, Turkey

Summary

A metal matrix composite reinforced with submicron sized alumina particulates has been subjected to compression testing at strain rates from 10-3 s-1 to 2.5x103 s-1 and at temperatures from room temperature up to 350°C. The 5% flow stress of the composite was found to decline from approximately 500MPa to 370MPa as the temperature increased to 350°C, and the composite showed a mild strain rate sensitivity similar to that for unreinforced aluminum. Shear band formation was noted at high strain rates at room temperature but did not occur at higher temperatures. Metallography showed that the properties were associated with an exceptionally fine and temperature insensitive microstructure.

Keywords

metal matrix composite, aluminum, high strain rate, microstructure, strain rate sensitivity.