Mechanical properties of Al/Al2O3and Al/B4C composites

Abstract

Mechanical properties of Al/Al2O3 and Al/B4C composites prepared through powder metallurgy are estimated up to 50% Al2O3 and 35% B4C weight fractions using micromechanics models and experiments. The experimental Young\'s modulus up to 0.40 weight fraction of ceramic is found to lie closely between Ravichandran\'s/Hashin-Shtrikman lower/upper bounds, and close to self consistent method/Miller and Lannutti method/modified rule of mixture/fuzzy logic method single value predictions. Measured Poisson\'s ratio lies between rule of mixture/Ravichandran lower and upper bound/modified Ravichandran upper bounds. Experimental Charpy energy lies between Hopkin-chamis method/equivalent charpy energy/Ravichandran lower limit up to 20%, and close to the reciprocal rule of mixture for higher Al2O3 content. Rockwell hardness (RB) and Micro-hardness of Al/Al2O3 are closer to modified rule of mixture predictions.