On the Longitudinal and Transverse Tensile Strength and Work of Fracture of a Continuous Fiber Metal Matrix Composite Subjected to Thermal Exposure

Abstract

The mechanical properties of many metal matrix composites are known to be degraded when the metal matrix composite is subjected to thermal exposure. We have studied the effect of thermal exposure on the mechanical properties, namely, longitudinal and transverse strength and work of fracture of a boron fiber reinforced 1100 aluminum composite. It is found in this study that as the thermal exposure time increases, the longitudinal strength and work of fracture decrease, whereas the transverse strength increases slightly. The above experimental results are explained by analytical models, with reasonably good agreement between the experimental and analytical results.