Interfacial Morphology on Mechanical Behavior of Particle Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract

Due to the characterizations of ceramic crystal structures, the reinforced ceramic particle shapes greatly vary with their surfaces. Based on the producing processes of the composites, the particle shapes can strongly determine the interfacial morphologies between the particles and metal matrix in the composites. This work aims to investigate the varying interfacial morphologies on the mechanical behaviors of silicon carbide particle reinforced aluminum matrix composites. By means of finite element method, three-dimensional microscopic structural models of particle reinforced metal matrix composites with spherical and polyhedral interfacial morphologies are established to perform the tensile mechanical deformations. Elastoplastic mechanical properties coupling with three different interfacial behaviors are applied on these microscopic structural models of the composites. Moreover, enough fine meshes and reasonable loads and boundaries conditions can ensure the computing accuracy and simultaneously cut down the computing cost. From the numerical results, we can determine the effects of varying interfacial morphologies on the mechanical behaviors of particle reinforced metal matrix composites.