The improved mechanical properties of Al matrix composites reinforced with oriented β-Si3N4 whisker

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2019.02.003

Abstract

Abstract:

The β-Si₃N₄ whiskers (β-Si₃N₄w) reinforced Al matrix composites were first fabricated by hot pressing, then treated through hot extrusion. The microstructure characterization demonstrated the preferred orientations of both β-Si₃N₄w and Al grains in the as-extruded composites. It indicated that β-Si₃N₄w were aligned along the extrusion direction and Al grains exhibited a distinct <111>_Al texture. The interface between β-Si₃N₄w and Al was in a good bonding status without voids and reaction products. Effects of extrusion process on the mechanical properties of composites were also investigated. The results indicated the extrusion process had a prominent strengthening effect on the mechanical properties of composites. The maximum yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of composites reached up to 170 and 289 MPa, respectively, accompanied by a 12.3% elongation at fracture when the whisker fraction was 15 vol.%. This improvement was collectively attributed to the densification of composites, the strong interface, and the preferred orientation inside composites. The yield strength of the composites reinforced with 5 vol.% β-Si₃N₄w corresponded well with the theoretical value from different strengthening mechanisms.

Key words: Metal-matrix composites (MMC), β-Si₃N₄ whiskers;, Preferred orientation, Interface, Mechanical properties, Extrusion

Chenxu Zhanga, Yu-Ping Zeng, Dongxu Yao, Jinwei Yin, Kaihui Zuo, Yongfeng Xia, Hanqin Liang. The improved mechanical properties of Al matrix composites reinforced with oriented β-Si₃N₄ whisker[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2019, 35(7): 1345-1353.

Figures/Tables 11

Fig. 1. SEM micrograph of β-Si3N4w.

Fig. 2. XRD patterns of β-Si3N4w/Al composites: (a) the as-fabricated composites with different volume fractions of β-Si3N4w; (b) the LS and the TS of the as-extruded 15-β-Si3N4w/Al composites; (c) a magnified view of (b).

Fig. 3. Microstructures of the as-extruded 15-β-Si3N4w/Al composites: (a, b) from the LS and (c, d) from the TS. The insets in Fig. 3(a, c) are the schematics of β-Si3N4w distribution.

Fig. 4. EBSD analysis of Al grains in the as-extruded 15-β-Si3N4w/Al composites: inverse pole figure maps of (a) the LS and (b) the TS; (c) pole figures based on (a) along with a standard stereographic projection with (011) as projective plane; (d) pole figures based on (b) along with a standard stereographic projection with (111) as projective plane. The purpose of the insets in (a) and (b) is to easily describe the preferred orientation of Al grains.

Fig. 5. TEM analysis of β-Si3N4w/Al composites: images of β-Si3N4w embed in the Al matrix when observed from (a) the LS and (c) the TS; (b) and, (d) the HRTEM images of the interfacial structure which are taken from the LS and the TS, respectively. The insets in (b) and (d) are the FFT patterns of Al and β-Si3N4w, respectively.

Fig. 6. (a) Relative density and (b) Vickers hardness of β-Si3N4w/Al composites before and after extrusion; (c) grain diameter distribution histograms of the as-extruded 15-β-Si3N4w/Al composites from two sections.

Fig. 7. Tensile behaviors of β-Si3N4w/Al composites: stress-strain curves of composites (a) before and (b) after extrusion; (c) UTS, YS and (d) elongation at fracture of the as-fabricated and the as-extruded composites.

Fig. 8. SEM images of fracture surface of the as-extruded β-Si3N4w/Al composites with (a) 5 vol.%; (b) 10 vol.%; (c) 15 vol.% whiskers; (d) a magnified view of (c).

Table 1 Average size of grains of the as-extruded composites reinforced with various β-Si3N4w content.

	D_LS (μm)	D_TS (μm)
0	2.82	2.66
5 vol.%	2.74	2.21
10 vol.%	2.62	2.05
15vol.%	2.01	1.79

Table 2 Contribution of respective strengthening mechanisms to the increment of yield strength and difference between theoretical values and experimental values.

Content of β-Si₃N₄w (vol.%)	Theoretical contribution from different strengthening mechanisms (MPa)				Total improvement Δσ_Total (MPa)	Theoretical yield strength σ_Theo. (MPa)	Experimental yield strength σ_Exp. (MPa)
Content of β-Si₃N₄w (vol.%)	Δσ_LT	Δσ_GF	Δσ_OL	Δσ_TM	Total improvement Δσ_Total (MPa)	Theoretical yield strength σ_Theo. (MPa)	Experimental yield strength σ_Exp. (MPa)
0	-	-	-	-	-	62.0	62
5	14.9	3.1	-	48.1	66.1	128.1	124
10	26.7	5.0	-	69.9	104.6	166.6	142
15	44.5	12.1	-	88.1	144.7	206.7	170

Fig. 9. Comparison between the theoretical and the experimental values of the yield strength.

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The improved mechanical properties of Al matrix composites reinforced with oriented β-Si₃N₄ whisker

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