Abstract
The effects of solid solution treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of SiC p /2024 Al matrix composite fabricated via powder thixoforming were investigated, as well as those of 2024 matrix alloy for comparison. The results indicate that the solution progress of the composite is more hysteretic than that of the alloy due to the obstacle role of SiC p to eutectic dissolution and grain coarsening. Interestingly, interface reactions of SiC p /2024Al, similar to those during fabrication, continuously occur during the solution treatment. Simultaneously, two constituents of the interface reaction layer, Al 2 Cu and MgAl 2 O 4 phases, change from the original agglomerated distribution to uniform distribution and finally to segregated form again accompanied by coarsening and phase transformation of Al 2 Cu into Al 2 CuMg. Such changes of the reaction layer significantly affect the interface debonding of SiC p /matrix or SiC p cracking during tensile test, and thus, the fracture regime and mechanical properties of the composite. The achieved modified shear-lag strengthening model by considering the strengthening effect of eutectic compounds can well interpret the strengthening mechanisms of these two materials, especially the variations of each strengthening mechanism contribution with solution time and the corresponding differences between these two materials. • The solution progress of SiC p /2024 Al matrix composite is more hysteretic than that of the 2024 Al alloy. • Interface reactions of SiC p /matrix still continuously operate during solution treatment. • The microstructure evolution of reaction layer plays an important role for mechanical properties of the composite. • The established strengthening model can well interpret the mechanical property variations of the two materials.
Published Version
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